The last Singapore General Elections in Singapore was held on 06 May 2006, social networking and the smartphones then were still in the infancy.
Twitter was launched in 15 July 2006. Facebook opened registration to all in 26 September 2006. Foursquare on 11 March 2009. The first iPhone was launched in 27 June 2009. Google launched the Google Android Phone on 18 August 2008.
It isn’t any surprised that the Singapore General Elections of 2011 has brought social networking in the fray with the smartphone playing an important part in spreading the messages of the various political parties.
As most equate those using social networks as being used by the younger generation, the recent Foursquare check ins at the political rallies are an indication to where the younger generation are leaning towards.
The Workers’ Party saw the most Foursquare check ins at its rally on the first day of campaigning.
This number of check ins show that the Workers’ Party has significantly attracted the younger generation to its cause.
The National Solidarity Party has the second most check ins with 106 unique check ins.
The inclusion of 24-year-old Nicole Seah into the National Solidarity Party has indeed paid off as the NSP, before Nicole Seah, was seen as a party of old people.
The Singapore Democratic Party is in third place with 41 unique checks in. Quite disappointing given that they have been quite aggressive online. However, as the rally was held at Commonwealth, commonly seen as a more mature estate, the number of checks in can be considered as rather surprising.
The People’s Action Party rally only attracted 3 check ins. Rather disappointing given that Sengkang is considered a relatively “young” estate.
The Reform Party rally only saw 2 check ins. Do they need to beef up their online presence more?
To be fair to all parties, this post only look at the first day rallies and as the campaigning gets closer to Election Day, we can expect changes to the check in. A fair assessment then, perhaps?
Why is Foursqaure check in important? This is because those that check in are definitely smartphone users with mobile data connection. This means that they also make use of their smartphone as one of their key source of information.
With the younger generation expected to be the “swing votes” for this year’s elections and with 82 out of 87 seats contested, it is important that the political parties planned their online strategies to get the message to these voters, even for the next General Elections five years down the road.
By then, it will no longer be where they get the news, the question is how they get the news.
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