Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Web sites changing council campaigns
One candidate gives links to his competitors
By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Like the Macy's Santa Claus in Miracle on 34th Street who sent customers to other stores, Cincinnati City Council candidate John Schlagetter will direct voters to competitors if they don't find what they like in his platform. And his Web site is like Christmas morning for political junkies.
There, voters can download copies of campaign finance reports from the 1999 and 2001 elections, see a comprehensive chart of each candidate's endorsements (of which few have gone to Mr. Schlagetter) and view precinct maps.
Most of the Web site is also available in Spanish.
Of course, he includes links to his opponents' sites.
“I don't know if it's a good campaign strategy, but John Schlagetter has probably got the most advanced and all-inclusive Web site, and I have to respect that,” said Todd Ward, a Republican candidate for council. “He so believes in the power of information, it says something about how much he respects the intelligence of voters.”
At least 15 of the 26 City Council candidates have Web sites. Some candidates say a Web site is expected — and almost necessary — to a winning strategy.
Still, for all the talk that the Internet was going to revolutionize campaigning, change has come slowly, said Judith Trent, a professor of political communication at the University of Cincinnati.
No one has figured out how to successfully use the Internet for fund-raising, and a Web presence doesn't mean anything unless people know it exists in the first place.
Still, many sites have improved over the past few years. Instead of static “home pages” with a smattering of content, many sites have become interactive and constantly updated.
Building a good Web site can be an expensive and time-consuming process. But it's possible for even an independent candidate to have an Internet presence on a shoestring budget.
“We're redefining shoestring,” independent Wes Flinn, who uses a free hosting service, said with a laugh. “We wanted to have a Web presence, but we didn't have the $70 to pay the domain registration fee. Still, you'd be surprised how many people stumble across it.”
Ms. Trent said she's not sure Web sites on a budget are effective, and may send the wrong message about how sophisticated the candidate really is.
“If you're going to do a Web site, it has to be state-of-the-art,” she said. “It's the same thing with television advertising. You have to spend the money to do it right or not do it at all.”
Indeed, Democrat Alicia Reece's site doesn't seem to have been updated since her 1999 campaign, and Democrat Lawra Baumann's site still gives her campaign schedule for July and August.
Ms. Trent also wonders whether a site like Mr. Schlagetter's — which includes lists of what magazines he subscribes to and what books he's reading — isn't a bit too much.
“A good Web site doesn't overwhelm the voter, it just gives particular information voters can't find other places,” Ms. Trent said. “Overloading your Web site can be counterproductive. It's like making a campaign speech on every issue you've ever heard of.”
Mr. Schlagetter, a Charterite, admits that his Web site could use a good redesign, but said he “vehemently disagrees” that a site can have too much content.
“The whole point of the internet is that you can put any amount of information on there,” he said. “People can see if there's really some meat behind what you're talking about.”
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