U.S. President Obama’s 2012 Campaign
In 2012, the two major U.S. presidential campaigns developed new tech tools to boost their chances of victory. On election night, one campaign celebrated its tools’ impact, while the other was left wondering what went wrong.
Italy’s Five Star Movement
The upstart Five Star Movement in Italy organized online and held online primary elections to select candidates who promoted the party’s populist agenda.
Net Parties – German Pirate Party & “The Net Party” in Argentina
Responding to what they considered “crises of representation,” the German Pirate Party and Argentina’s Net Party turned to online platforms in order to increase citizen engagement in the policy development process.
Denmark’s Liberal Alliance – Blockchain Secure Online Voting
The Danish Liberal Alliance used Bitcoin’s blockchain protocols to support a secure and transparent e-voting platform for internal democracy.
South Africa’s MyANC Mobile App
Recognizing the growing role that smartphones are playing in South African society, the African National Congress developed a mobile phone application that shares information about party structure, policies and elections. Supporters can comment on items, which provides feedback to party leaders.
Mexico’s PAN Party – Twitter Contest
To highlight the party’s achievements while in government, Mexico’s National Action Party unexpectedly learned how Twitter can facilitate voter feedback and insight into public opinion.
Cambodia’s CNRP – IVR/Social Media
Although rural terrain and state-run media can make outreach difficult, the Cambodian National Rescue Party took advantage of interactive voice response technology and social media platforms like Facebook to communicate its message to voters.
EGP – Online Primary to Increase Participation, Fails to Connect
The European Green Party thought that using an online primary would drum up support ahead of the 2014 European Parliament elections. Although its rollout was smooth, a lack of accompanying contextual analyses and strategic planning prevented the primary from being successful.
Moldova – Social Canvass by GQR Digital
A coalition of three pro-European Union parties won the 2014 elections, but the Liberal Democratic Party’s ability to conduct microtargeted outreach on social media helped them win the most votes.
Spain’s Podemos
The left-wing Spanish upstart party Podemos used online platforms to be more responsive to voters’ interests, and it paid off during the 2014 European Parliament elections and heading into the 2015 general election.
New Zealand’s Green Party – Crowdsourcing Question Time on Social Media
The New Zealand Green Party introduced an initiative that used social media to crowdsource questions about climate change to be asked at Question Time. Once all of the questions were compiled, the party chose ten and opened an online poll asking citizens which ones were most important to them.
India’s Aam Aadmi Party – Using Digital Media Platforms for Outreach
Taking advantage of a changing political landscape in India, The India Aam Aadmi Party has successfully used digital media platforms to help organize volunteer networks for widespread fundraising and supporter outreach.
Database Creation and Social Media Campaign Help Venezuela’s Democratic Unity Roundtable Go from No Seats to Majority in Two Election Cycles
Venezuela’s Opposition Coalition built and mobilized a robust database for voter contact and targeting which helped propel it to a majority in parliament