From ballot papers to blogging

While my parents are in the thick of printing thousands of ballot papers for the local municipal elections in their area, my attention was directed to an initiative conceptualised and developed by the Mail & Guardian Online and New Media Lab. They got together and convinced party leaders Patricia De Lille, Ziba Jiyane, Bantu Holomisa, Tony Leon and Pieter Mulder to blog the last few days of the elections and their campaigning. Check out the site here.

I am interested to see what comes out of this. I think it is more of an experiment than anything else, a means of seeing how far blogging can go. The comments are unmoderated, and I would be interested to see if the party leaders pay any attention to what is said, if any relevant issues are brought up. If the bloggers responding are intelligent enough it could be interesting, it could also turn into a mudslinging and electioneering festival which I would imagine is the more likely outcome.

Reading the blogs I have not learned much about the parties or their leaders that would make it easier for me as a citizen to make the right mark on a ballot paper. I now know how tiring election campaigning can be, and what Patricia snacks on to keep her energy up, but not much else. I think it's a cool experiment, but what about building a group blog that enables voters to talk to each other and build their own knowledge. Maybe a pipe dream... but SA could use this kind of technology to build awareness and knowledge about making the right voter decisions.

Oh and where is the ANC in all of this? And what the hell does Mr Buthelezi think he is doing by getting his PR dude to post for him? Does he get the point?

posted by Cat Murray @ 03:09