What is it about?
This study examines whether using Twitter made a measurable difference in the 2014 Turkish local elections. It focuses on candidates’ Twitter use and compares it with election outcomes, while taking other relevant factors into account. The research asks a simple question: does having a Twitter presence help local political candidates win? The findings suggest that Twitter was not just a communication tool, but was associated with a higher chance of electoral success.
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Why is it important?
Social media is now a major part of political campaigns, but its real effect on election results is often debated. This study contributes evidence from local elections, an area that has received less attention than national campaigns. By showing a measurable relationship between Twitter use and candidates’ success, it helps researchers, campaigners, political parties and citizens better understand how digital platforms may shape democratic competition at the local level.
Perspectives
From my perspective, this work is valuable because it moves beyond general claims about social media and politics. Rather than simply asking whether politicians use Twitter, it examines whether Twitter use is connected to actual electoral outcomes. The Turkish local election context also makes the study useful for understanding digital campaigning beyond the most commonly studied national and Western election cases.
İbrahim Hatipoğlu
Bursa Uludag University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Net Effect of Social Media on Election Results: The Case of Twitter in 2014 Turkish Local Elections, January 2016, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-17722-9_14.
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