The Internet and Political Mobilization

Abstract

This article examines the extent of Internet-based political mobilization during the 1996 election season. Using a sample of politically engaged Internet users from an online survey, along with data from random-digit-dial phone surveys, the article analyzes the extent of political use of the Internet and the nature of contacts with citizens made by eight categories of organization during the campaigns. It compares the extent of contacts made through electronic mail with contacts by phone, by mail, and in person. The article suggests that traditionally influential, national political organizations were apparently the most active in using the Internet for contacting voters and potential voters, but also that nontraditional, alternative mobilizers were comparatively more reliant on electronic mail and used it to reach a proportionately larger fraction of people not otherwise contacted.