• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, August 23, 2006

Internet Becoming an Important Factor in American Politics

Forty percent of voters in the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed regularly by The Media Audit describe themselves as heavy users of the Internet. What that portends, says Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, is that "...the Internet is a very serious factor in American politics. The Internet doesn't just provide marketers' access to voters; it also provides voters' access to marketers, other voters and data."

According to the report, within the Voter/Internet Group:

• 61.5 percent of those surveyed In 2004 said they voted during the past year
• 64.7 percent said they voted In 2005
• In 2004, 37.4 percent said they spent at least seven hours a week on the Internet
• In 2005 that percent jumped to 39.9%
• In actual numbers that is an increase from 31.6 million to 35.6 million
• In 2005, 34.7 percent of the V/I Group described themselves as Democrats
• 31.8 percent said they were Republicans
• 28.5 percent were Independent

The racial mix of the Voter/Internet Group is balanced:

• 40.4 percent of Caucasian voters
• 34.9 percent of African-American voters
• 37.5 percent of Hispanic voters
• 51.3 percent of Asian voters

The V/I Group is significantly better educated and more affluent than the adult population at large:

• Fifty-four percent have at least one college degree compared to 35 percent in the general population surveyed
• 66.1 percent have annual household incomes of $50,000 or more, compared to 48.7 percent in the total adult population
• 43.9 percent have incomes of $75,000 or more compared to 29 percent in the general population
• 27.5 percent have incomes of $100,000 or more compared to 16.8 percent in the general population

A voter, according to The Media Audit in their recent report, is an adult who has actually voted in local, state or national elections during the past year. A heavy user of the Internet is an adult who spends at least seven hours a week on the Internet.

The markets surveyed have a total adult (age 18+) population of more than 137 million. More than 57 percent of the V/I Group are between the ages of 25 and 49. Those younger and older than this age group are represented to a much lesser extent. Only 9.7 percent are under the age of 25 and just 22.1 percent are age 55 plus.

For more information from The Media Audit, please visit here.