Communicopia

The whole continent has election fever right now. Canada's going to elect a new federal government in a few short weeks, the US election is close behind... and here in Vancouver, we're electing a mayor and city council this November. While this municipal election won't receive the same media attention as the national ones, it's actually a really important one for Vancouver. The need for a strong, progressive leader has perhaps never been greater, as we steer ourselves onto the world stage for the 2010 Olympics.

That's why Communicopia is extremely proud to be launching the Vision Vancouver campaign site today, showcasing mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson and his running mates. These days, a strong, participative campaign website is an essential ingredient for any serious campaign, especially with sites like Barack Obama's truly changing the game.

And as it turns out, Gregor's campaign is custom-made for the web. Gregor is authentic, he is visionary, and he is very grassroots-oriented. He appeals to a wide diversity of people, he is very open to feedback, to change, and to complexity, and he is big on conversations rather than prescribing solutions. These are all characteristics that lend themselves well to an authentically participative website, which made it a treat to create the online strategy for Vision.

Tools for Supporter Engagement

Naturally, all supporters are encouraged to sign up to volunteer, to request a lawn sign, and to donate. But beyond the usual engagement opportunities, the site offers a ton of ways to get involved in the Vision campaign. Visitors can check out the many videos, which offer an opportunity to get a feel for the candidates. Social media fans can find Gregor on Facebook through the site, or follow him on Twitter. Supporters can donate, and they can also sign up to be online fundraisers, using special "peer to peer" fundraising technology (much like you've probably seen "Run for the Cure" participants use). There's an event calendar of both official events, and informal user-generated ones. And, if you've got a blog of your own, you can download a badge for your site to let all your readers know that you're supporting the Vision team.

That's just a selection of what this powerful and inspiring election site (in 4 languages!) contains. We're really excited to be a part of this ground-breaking municipal campaign, and hope that you'll check out www.votevision.ca, whether or not you're a resident of Vancouver. See you at the polls!