Twitter Connects Politicians and Voters

June 27th, 2008

By Ben

I’m relatively new to Twitter (follow me), and have had my fair share of frustrations with it so far. I think it’s generally pretty slow and doesn’t have a good way for new members to integrate into the network, but it does provide a great way for people to connect, who otherwise never would.

But when Twitter is working, users can now connect with politicians to share their thoughts and concerns with their representatives. While Barack Obama is on Twitter, I’ve only seen him (or someone else on his staff) update where he is or what he’s doing. However, Texas Congressman John Culberson has become an active on Twitter, engaging in back-and-forth conversation with his followers, and is actually following 732 people. This type of interaction is great, and is an example of how Twitter can help connect people.

Will more politicians turn to social networks like Twitter to help engage the public? The YouTube debates that were held last year seemed to be a big step forward in acknowledging what the elections really are about, and hats off Congressman Culberson for going a step further when he really didn’t have to.

Please Note: This post has nothing to do with supporting or not supporting Congressman Culberson. It’s simply a pat on the back for engaging citizens and listening to what they have to say.

Entry Filed under: social media