With only one day until the 2008 Presidential Elections, I am finding it difficult to focus on much else. Yes, I am extremely passionate about politics. However, I am also feeling a great deal of election anxiety simply because of my exposure to it. Due to social networking tools such as Twitter, sites such as Facebook, and blogs such as the Huffington Post, I am continuously flooded with information. ..

…which causes me to wonder just how much social media will influence the outcome of Tuesday’s election. Are others as inundated by technology as I am? Will what users see online affect their decisions? And most importantly, how have the candidates taken advantage of social media to reach voters?

Social Media has changed the political landscape. Sure, we still watch poll coverage on CNN, but what about that SNL video feauturing Palin? Or, how about the last Obama rally? Most likely, we turn to YouTube in cases such as these.

Dr. Paul Haridakis, an associate professor of Communication Studies at Kent State University insists that YouTube is an integral source of information in this election:

“Many people,” Haridakis says, “will watch videos and use traditional media like TV to acquire political information about the candidates, but they also are going to the Internet and using social networking sites to see who people they know support. The information gleaned from their social networks may be the information they find most credible and persuasive.”

Similarly, Twitter has undoubtedly played an extensive role throughout this election process. I wrote a few weeks ago about the Twitter election page, which allows members to view and tweet a live stream of comments pertaining to the election and candidates. The election page was especially popular during debates, hosting a “play by play” of what the candidates had to say. In fact, as Sarah Wurrey of Media Bullseye discussed earlier this month, Twitter was also used to verify claims made by the candidates:

“Since Twitter has launched an election page, NPR has called for Twitterers to live-fact-check the debates and bloggers are regularly featured in the networks’ election coverage, social media is inescapable in this election season.”

Social Media serves as the perfect political tool. It increases transparency and increases communication. Both Barack Obama and John McCain have participated in this online forum. But, has it made a difference?

Katelyn D’Eramo of Tech Pr Gems recently asked the very same thing-citing both candidates’ social media expertise. Of Obama, she says:

“Senator Barrack Obama has fully developed social media in his campaign for President. He tweets on twitter, sends text messages, sends daily e-mails , updates his blog, has RSS feeds on his website and has a Facebook page. He is connecting in a multifaceted way to voters…He’s asking for community involvement , asking for registered people on his site to help out whether it be to call three voters in a swing state or dig an article.”

D’Eramo asks whether this increased use of social media will specifically influence younger voters to form an opinion and vote on Tuesday. Does their apparent knowledge of social media prompt your personal support?

How do you feel about the use of social media in this election? Personally, it has allowed me to gain a greater awareness of the candidates’ professional experience, personal behavior, as well as exclusive views of events that the industrial media did not cover.

Which brings me to the question at hand: Has your online media use influenced your vote in this election?