Show Me The Money! Money, Money, Money!!!
Re: Barko, Julie, Wells, Kevin, Darr, Carol, et al., eds, The Political Consultants' Online Fundraising Primer, Institute for Democracy, Politics, and the Internet (www.ipdi.org), July 14, 2004.
Show Me The Money! Fundraising online has proven to become a very useful tool to garner financial support across the country for a campaign. As noted in the above publication, there are several do's and don'ts while fundraising online. For instance, you want to make sure you have a secure site so contributors feel safe about giving their credit card number online. More importantly, you must have a receipt process, so people can view their transaction and feel some sanity after donating a large sum of money.
Bottom line, contributors must be able to go to bed at night not worrying if their credit card number is going to be used by some hacker in overseas to purchase the newest pair of Nikes.
Do you donate online?? I never have donated online for a political campaign - I would rather have a hand shake from the candidate when I dull out my cash!!
4 Comments:
I have donated online before, but I understand what you mean about wanting a hand shake from the candidate first.
My reservations about donating electronically are more related to an email request for a contribution. I’ve worked hard for my money and I want to make sure it’s going to a good cause, so I like to be very familiar with the candidate’s website and platform first. Luckily, many voters are comfortable responding to email requests for donations, so the campaign will stay alive! I think there will always be a subset of voters that will feel uncomfortable donating electronically and will mainly want to donate in person or respond to traditional direct mail.
I like giving money on line (although I prefer to give it to a canvasser!)
I thought that the Democratic Party's online fundraising this past election cycle was really great. I was signed up through one of those college student street canvassers who would ask "Do you want to help beat Bush?" I can't give a huge some of money at once, since I live pay check to pay check (or student loan disbursement to student loan disbursement), but I could give 30 bucks. Later, I got emails that kept me updated, and the one that I finally gave to was "written" by Hillary Clinton. It outlined the critical issues - I think they may have been targeted to me, because children and the environment were included - and the stakes, and said what the money would be used for - response to some attack ads. There was a goal and a deadline as well, with thermometers, so I felt like I was working with other Democrats to make something happen. Later I got a thank you email that outlined what they were able to do - buy all the ads they needed - because of the money we had all contributed. That whole process, for me, understanding what the money was used for and seeing its effect, was what really moved me to give. Giving money directly to a candidate is actually a little awkward for me, especially concerning the amount. Even giving at a house party is uncomfortable. I feel like people are watching and thinking about how much I am giving.
Giving money online is also just way easier. I pay all my bills online. Writing checks is a pain - you always have to order more checks, and you have to find envelopes, and I never have any stamps. I get fundraising requests from organizations I care about all the time in the mail, and I intend to give, but the letters get shoved into a drawer some where until spring cleaning.
The best part about Internet giving is that you can cheaply get small donors, people who can give 30 bucks one month, and then you can ask them again later without spending too much resources. The candidates finally have affordable access to small donors, and they're not all fighting over the same high donors.
I've never donated online before, but I think that'd I rather do it the old fashioned way. It seems more personal.
I have donated both online and offline before. I can certainly appreciate your concerns about the safety of your donation.
I really like the concept of online fundraising because of the ease in which voters can contribute money online, I feel, may make them more likely to become more involved, now that they have a stake in its outcome. Voters have more of an opportunity to contribute online, then they would meeting the candidate, thus involving more voters in the process.
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