Recently, I "contacted" the campaigns of Sean Connaughton and George Fitch using the tools on their respective websites. The resulting silence has been deafening.

Over a month ago, I subscribed to the campaign newsletter of George Fitch. Not a single newletter has been received. No confirmation that I am even subscribed. No apparent tools on the site to unsubscribe.

At that time, I used the contact us page to submit a question about the lack of a privacy policy on the Fitch website; they are collecting email addresses for the newsletter. No confirmation that the request has been received. No answer from the campaign on the missing privacy policy.

Recently, after talking with enthusiastic Connaughton volunteers at the gun show, I went to the website form and volunteered to help with the campaign. No confirmation or contact has been received; I even gave them my 24X7 cell phone number.

I have to ask, "what's the point?" Seriously, why have these tools for contacting the campaigns if submissions go lost, unnoticed, or unacknowledged? Basic business etiquette (and decent mailing list software can help) suggests that you at least confirm a request for information or subscription.

I'll acknowledge that I'm no particularly great prize to either campaign. I probably couldn't convince anyone to vote for either candidate, but I'm convinced that if a candidate cares about any votes in our closely divided political climate, he should care about every vote. Were I the campaign manager or communication director for either candidate, I would be incensed that this basic method of communication with potential voters, WHO CAME TO ME, for God's sake, was misused and failed so miserably to close the deal!

With a good electronic outreach, be it an email list, a blog, or a simple "contact me" web form, Sean didn't have to waste time at my stupid spaghetti dinner and Mr. Fitch could visit old folks instead of talking to my daughter's class, thus maximizing campaign funds while telling a detailed, perhaps even customized, story about his views and values.

We're past the point of issuing kudos to candidates for simply having a website. Any candidate that hopes to mobilize educated, intelligent volunteers today needs a modern electronic infrastructure. At some point this need will become an absolute necessity and those who understand new media and its use will be ahead of the pack, both figuratively and vote-wise, I'd expect.