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Party Conventions – Part 1:  The Dems

Posted on April 19, 2010, by Lane Kasselman

The CALinnovates.org team just got back from a successful weekend at the California Democratic Party convention.  We spent most of the weekend pushing our new mobile phone app, introducing CALinnovates.org to elected officials, and hearing the outlook of candidates on the impact of technology to the California economy.  It was a nonstop weekend – from caucus meetings and blogger luncheons, to candidate parties and delegate voting, one thing was clear – technology played more of a role in this convention than any in years past.  A few observations:

 

Videos – rather than making delegates listen to campaign stumps more than once, the party decided to restrict candidate speeches to caucus meetings – this meant no candidates (other than the big leaguers Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer) gave speeches during the several thousand person general session.  Instead, candidates were asked to produce a 60-second video about their qualifications for office, and those we’re shown throughout the general sessions.  The result was about as diverse as the candidates themselves.  It was clear some camps used iMovie on a staffers laptop and others hired Hollywood production firms.  It’s encouraging to see the State’s leading political party moving towards multimedia interaction with voters.

 

Tweets – This year’s convention was held at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles – the sprawling redevelopment project next to the Staples and Convention center.  There were countless parties and events going on at the dozens of restaurants and venues in LA Live and only one way to keep up to date on all of it: #CADem2010.  I’ve experienced other conferences where Twitter hashtags were useful at keeping tabs on select events, but for the most part printed schedules at conventions like CES are comprehensive and accurate – not so at the Dem convention.  The printed schedules we sparse at best, missing much of the information that makes convention so enjoyable – however, attendees found a way to spread the word via Twitter.  A surprising development in a typically slow-tech environment.  

 

 iPads – like every political convention, elected officials and candidates were surrounded by entourages befitting a president.  And as always, there is an eager staffer at hand holding the principals schedule and keeping the whole team on track.  The big difference this year?  Those eager staffers weren’t carrying folders or binders, but slim iPads. 

Stay tuned for Party Conventions – Part 2:  The Reps

(photo:  CALinnovates.org volunteer Lena Greer with Lieutenant Governor Candidate, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom)

 

 

 

 

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