The Empty Quadrant: Styles Of Digital Electoral Campaigns In Elections For District Deputies In 2018

Abstract

This article maps and analyzes the digital electoral strategies used by district deputies elected in 2018 in the Federal District. Based on qualitative interviews, document analysis and analysis of campaign spending data, it proposes a typology of four digital election campaign styles. The analysis shows that, despite the growing relevance of digital technologies in election campaigns, one quadrant remains empty: that of campaigns that prioritize spending on boosting online content while using a wide variety of digital platforms. The article argues that the practices adopted result from dynamic learning processes by the actors in a context of uncertainty regarding the use and effectiveness of new digital strategies. It also argues that these processes are relational, in the sense that the incorporation of technologies is in part the result of interaction with the voters, who pressure the candidates to have a greater digital presence.