Utilizing social media to engage Hawaiʻi citizens : how the 2010 Hawaiʻi mayoral and gubernatorial candidates utilized social media during the primary elections

Date
2010-12
Authors
Dar, Yasmin Ather
Contributor
Advisor
Department
Instructor
Depositor
Speaker
Researcher
Consultant
Interviewer
Annotator
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
[Honolulu] : [University of Hawaii at Manoa], [December 2010]
Volume
Number/Issue
Starting Page
Ending Page
Alternative Title
Abstract
Candidates for political office are increasingly using social media tools and technologies to communicate with constituents, citizens, and various publics. Such use has been examined at the national level in the U.S. with the presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and, more notably, Barack Obama, who was often referred to as one of the most technologically-savvy candidate's running for political office. This communication phenomenon has not been well studied at the local level in Hawaii, however. The contentious 2010 primary election for governor of Hawaii and mayor of the City and County of Honolulu presented an opportunity to conduct an exploratory study of the front-running candidates' use of social media. Using a combination of website content analysis and semi-structured interviews with the campaigns' social media advisors, the researcher found and documented how social media was being used by the 2010 front running primary election candidates for mayor and governor in Hawaii and the thinking behind some of their political communication strategies. Accessibility, transparency and engagement through these social media communication tools were a common strategy for a political campaign. Findings reveal that the front running gubernatorial and mayoral candidates used a variety of social media strategies to connect with their publics. While there were similarities in their use of social media, some of the differences lead to an interesting analysis of motivations and impressions. This study discusses these emerging trends in social media campaigning and provides a foundation for future research.
Description
M.A. University of Hawaii at Manoa 2010.
Includes bibliographical references.
Keywords
social media, political campaigns
Citation
Extent
Format
Geographic Location
Time Period
Related To
Theses for the degree of Master of Arts (University of Hawaii at Manoa). Communication.
Table of Contents
Rights
Rights Holder
Local Contexts
Email libraryada-l@lists.hawaii.edu if you need this content in ADA-compliant format.