Turning to YouTube for votes

Candidates are lining up to run for Philadelphia City Council this year and using YouTube to introduce themselves to voters.

Bobby Henon is doing it.  “I’m going to run for City Council, I feel I can make a difference,” says Henon to his family over a spaghetti supper in his YouTube video.

David Oh is doing it.  “We’re really here all together all of us for the people of Philadelphia because we want more for the city, and I don’t mean the buildings, we want more for the people of this city,”  says Oh in a recorded campaign speech posted on YouTube.

And even Councilman Curtis Jones did it when running for office three years ago.  “What you hope to have is a good public servant one who works with the people one who understands that all of us are smarter than any one of us,” says Jones in his video.

Political consultant Larry Ceisler says it’s a good way to deliver a carefully tailored message.  “It’s really the ability to get your first message out unfiltered and what you want the media and the public to hear,” said Ceisler.  

He says campaigns buy online ads and email lists to make sure voters see these videos.

View the full campaign videos of Bobby Henon, David Oh, and Curtis Jones below: