Q&A #9 -- Social Media For GOTV

"NathanSpencer" asks, via Twitter appropriately:

"Are tools like Twitter and Facebook really helping candidates GOTV? Who is using it best?"

I've seen no evidence of it helping in any significant way with GOTV in any local elections, and have heard few if any convincing tales from elsewhere. I'd love to hear from anyone who has experience to the contrary, though. Not to say it won't be a big factor someday, but not yet -- and certainly not in Boston. Consider this: in a city of 350,000 registered voters, Michael Flaherty has barely 500 Twitter followers, Sam Yoon has around 1500, and the mayor himself has 2100 -- all including many who are not actually Boston voters.