Twitter Use by Arizona Politicians: A Case Study and Analysis

In the past ten years, social network services have expanded from a digital method in which the public connects with only their friends and families. Social network services have evolved to a highly-accessible, convenient, cost-effective tool to engage with communities beyond one's frequented social circle on a local, national, and global scale. Many politicians have adapted in order to use social network services to connect directly with their constituents. Politicians have begun to use their profiles on social network services as their own privately owned publicity channel, publishing raw "material" like political opinions or legal advocacy, appearances at events and media like photos, videos or links to maintain transparency and accessibility to their constituencies. The content analysis investigates the use of a social network service (Twitter) by five different Arizonan politicians from different municipal, state and federal offices over the period of six months. All posts on Twitter were recorded, evaluated, and categorized by content into one of seventeen different divisions: Constituent Connection, Correction, Culture, Economy, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Humanitarianism, International, Military, Operational, Personal, Political Activity, Reply to Constituent, Security, Social Issues or Sports. The date, category, content, media type and engagement (replies, retweets, and favorites) were also recorded. Understanding how political figures connect and engage with their constituencies contributes to understanding modern campaigning and modern government; politicians are now finding it imperative to have and maintain a social media presence in order to gain relevance, transparency and accessibility with their constituencies. This study examines how politicians are currently utilizing these micro-blogging sites.