bytes and ballots

The most recent Democracy Corps survey, conducted October 22-24 with 1200 likely voters in 50 Republican-held Congressional Districts, contained an interesting set of questions on this point. If you scroll down to questions 52-56 in the frequency questionnaire (linked above) you'll find this question:

Now, I'd like to ask you something different. Over the course of the campaign, have you (READ ITEM) more from those who want you to vote for the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate?

The inserted items were:

• Seen TV ads.
  
• Gotten information on the Internet.
  
• Received mailings.
  
• Been contacted face to face at home.
  
• Received phone calls.
  

And here is the data, showing some interesting partisan differences --- and some interesting partisan similarities --- in voter contact strategies in competitive Republican-held districts.

At this point in these campaigns, Republicans hold a lead in mail contact, with 27% of likely voterss stating they had received more mailings from Republicans, and 14% from Democrats. 35% of likely voters said they had received mailings from both Republicans and Democrats. Republicans also hold slight leads in television contacts, and phone contacts.

But when it comes to the Internet, the data show that candidates in these competitive districts are using the Internet for contact:

1. 70% of likely voters said that neither Republicans nor Democrats had contacted them via the Internet.
   
2. 7% said that they had received Internet contact from both parties.
   
3. 8% said they had received Internet contact from Democrats, 7% from Republicans --- virtually no difference there.