WV PoliTweeps: Constituent Connections

With the West Virginia Legislature going into session next week, I thought it only appropriate to post the Twitter names for several of West Virginia’s elected officials:

US Senate: Jay Rockefeller

Joe Manchin: @JoeManchinWV

@JoeManchinNews

US House: Shelley Moore Capito: @Rep Shelley

Nick Joe Rahall: @Rahall2010

David McKinley: @mckinley4cong

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin:

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant: @NatalieTennant

Attorney General Darrell McGraw: @AGWestV

WV Legislature: @wvlegislature

WV Senate: @wvsenate

Jeff Kessler: @JeffKessler4Gov

Brooks McCabe: @BrooksMcCabeWV

Truman Chafin: @Senator_Chafin

Erik Wells: @Erik_Wells

Mike Green: @SenatorGreen

Bob Beach: @WVsenatorelect

WV House: @wvhouse

Rick Thompson @RT4WV

Tim Miley: @timothymiley

Meshea Poore: @MesheaforHouse

Doug Skaff: @dougskaff

Josh Stowers: @Josh_Stowers

Tom Azinger: @TomAzinger

Ryan Ferns: @RyanFernsWV

Doug Reynolds: @dougreynolds16

Troy Andes: @TroyAndes

Nancy Guthrie: @guthrien4me

Kelli Sobonya: @KelliSobonya

Amanda Pason: @Pasdon4WVHouse

Randy Swartzmiller: @WV_Delegate

John Ellem: @DelegateEllem

Media:

Lawrence Messina (AP): @lmessina

Charleston Gazette: @wvgazette

Allison Knezevich: @aliknez

Phil Kabler:

Ken Ward: @Kenwardjr

Charleston Daily Mail: @charleywest

Ry Rivard: @ryrivard

Jared Hunt: @jaredwv

WV Watchdog: @WVWatchdog

Steven Adams: @stevenadamswv

West Virginia’s Digital Divide

Connecting with constituents through the digital democracy (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc...) is not the first thing West Virginia politicians need to do. I feel the number one mission-critical effort is to connect residents across the State to the Internet. This connection is the first step in optimizing communication between those in office/those running for office with those who put you in office, thus combating voter complacency through engagement.

While at a West Virginia University Alumni Pig Roast in Boone County this weekend, I pulled out my iPhone to 4square, but didn’t have any cell signal. Sad to say, not having cell signal is something I got used to while driving around Southern West Virginia working on Senator Truman Chafin’s (@Senator_Chafin) campaign, (Hootie Dropped the Ball, anyone remember that radio jingle?). Not having 3G was a bit of a dilemma, however, for my boss (@wvlarry) and I when we were on a photo shoot for Greg Tucker in Summersville. While trying to check my email, our client asked if my iPhone used wireless and then gave me his wireless code. Thank heavens! What would I have done without an Internet connection?

Reality check: Not having an Internet connection is common for too many West Virginia residents. While I would go nuts not being able to check my Twitter feed, read the latest on Huffington Post, or shop at Sephora.com or for shoes, thousands across the Mountain State don’t have a choice. And it’s unacceptable.

As a Social Media Strategist for political campaigns, it’s my job to connect elected officials and aspiring politicians with their constituency. The “democratization of communication” can only happen when both parties engage in an open, digital dialogue. But without Internet infrastructure, ePolitics won’t happen anytime soon in West Virginia.

State Senator Ron Stollings, well-respected Mountain M.D. and client, also attended the Pig Roast, and I asked him what the 411 was with broadband infrastructure. He replied that things were coming along, and that every major public building, from schools to hospitals to libraries, would soon have Internet connection. While I’m following up with him and several other elected politicos this week regarding this issue, “soon” can’t come soon enough.