Brazil prepares for local elections without the little help of Internet

Caracas, Venezuela, 5 July 2008. As the registration of candidates ended today, the electoral campaign for local elections kicks off tomorrow. Voting will take place on 5 October 2008. Some analysts perceive these elections as rather telling on the future outcome of presidential voting in 2010. Incumbent President Lula da Silva is backed by an eleven party alliance. However, these parties have their own candidates for local elections and would try to show their own political muscle. Fierce battles are expected among candidates of the Workers' Party and Brazilian Social Democracy Party.

While these traditional confrontations take place, Internet tools will remained idle. A ruling of the Supreme Electoral Court on voting did constrain the use of tools like Twitter, Orkut, Facebook, You Tube, electronic newsletters, text messages, blogs and other 'social web' facilities - technologies. Thus, it would be a traditional political campaign and electoral battle.

Sources: Justiça Eleitoral, Unionradio, Global Voices on Line,