The electronic election

So the starting pistol has been fired and we can now look forward to four weeks of electioneering from all sides of the political spectrum. One area most under scrutiny this time appears to be the effect that the internet will have on this election. With more and more people blogging and Tweeting it seems that an extra dimension has been added to election campaigning and comment.

However, just two days into the election campaign I can't be the only one who is sick of seeing endless tweets from parliamentary candidates and Cornwall councillors telling us again and again how they have knocked on so many doors and how they are getting fit or sore feet from doing so. I would imagine that they will end up having RSI from tweeting the same messages time and time again. It would also appear that every single one of them, no matter which party they are campaigning for, is getting the same response apparently they are getting "great support" and people saying that they want "change". Surely they can't all be getting encouraging messages on every doorstep they are knocking (or intruding ) on?

Or have we now reached a stage where those campaigning on the streets have achieved status among the public akin to that afforded to Jehovah's Witnesses or Kleeneze representatives? Rather than listening to what those knocking on their doors are saying are we now in a position where people will just nod their head, take a leaflet and say they will support them in full knowledge that they have no intention to and would rather get back to sitting on the sofa for EastEnders?

It might also be interesting to know if recycling collections have seen an increase in the amount of paper being put out over the next four weeks....