Towards Political Conquest of the Blogosphere? Electoral Blogging in the 2007 Municipal Elections Campaign

This article looks at the communicative significance of blogging in politics and its potential impact on communication in political campaigning. The contribution to what is known about this phenomenon is on two fronts. Firstly, an operative theoretical-analytical scheme for the identification and systemisation of the principal dimensions, variables and indicators of the electoral blog, conceived as a strategic campaign resource. Secondly, an empirical application of this scheme, focussing on the Spanish case, demonstrating how mayors of large cities used the blog for political purposes, to inform, involve and mobilize the blogosphere to promote their re-election, during the campaign for the municipal elections on 27 May 2007. The results of this analysis are also of twofold interest. On one hand they are a first step towards the understanding of the communicative behaviour and style of these political players in their online campaign via a blog. On the other, they allow general conclusions to be drawn on the reach of this new process and the effect it has on the communicative style and effectiveness of local political leadership in Spain.