Microsoft offers cloud for politicians

Cloud computing has reached political campaigns; Microsoft Corp. rolled out its Campaign Cloud platform today.

Microsoft announced it is partnering with ElectionMall.com to introduce a cloud-based array of services intended for political and issue-advocacy campaigns.

Campaign Cloud provides tools for fundraising, generating votes and building awareness, the companies said. These include building a Web presence, managing communications; raising money online; promoting awareness with advertising through social networks as well as through phone, e-mail, text and other means and managing get-out-the-vote activities.

"The partnership combines Election Mall's expertise with Microsoft's cloud capabilities to offer long-term, scalable tools for greater impact,” said Curt Kolcun, vice president, Microsoft U.S. Public Sector.

Microsoft's announcement was one of several this week at the Personal Democracy Forum conference in New York, where the emphasis was on the intersection of politics and technology.

Among the other products and services highlighted:

• VoteIQ said June 3 it is rolling out a new social network platform for politicians, candidates, interest groups and current events, giving them a way to interact. VoteIQ’s board of advisers includes political strategists James Carville and Frank Luntz.

• The Sunlight Foundation on June 3 launched TransparencyData.com to track campaign donations at the federal and state level. The Web site includes data from the Center for Responsive Politics and National Institute on Money in State Politics.

• Facebook in November 2009 launched the US Politics on Facebook page, which monitors how  candidates and officials use Facebook to connect with people. About 4,000 people have linked to the page.