How did social Media affect the election

 Following the municipal election candidates on twitter gave me a couple of surprises. 
1. The number of followers, tweets, re-tweets, had no reflections on the number of votes and those in the bottom 35 accounted for <5% of the vote and those that dropped out account for <1% of the vote.
2. The tone or the negative tweets didn't negatively reflect on the support at the polls.

Three things that didn't surprise me
1. only 50-70% of candidates used twitter and/or facebook, and some of them didn't use it at all
@torontovote/ran4mayor2010

Candidates in the 2010 October Toronto Mayor Race (official primary or active twitter account)

2. There was a lot more sharing of ideas, by the otherwise 35 unknown candidates to the 5 in the media spotlight (ignoring those that dropped out the race before the deadline)
3. Some candidates just used it to follow or put another down instead of sharing their own platform.
4. The number of non official mayor accounts (I found 38) almost out numbered the number of candidates 40
@torontovote/notmayor

unofficial, unreal, or funny, copycat or mocking, but isn't imitation the best form of flattery

People this list follows

	TOpiratemayor Toronto Pirate Mayor
	ANY1BUTGEORGE Stop George!
	NPsteve Steve Murray
	ShitSmittySays Hugh Mangenome
	Babak_Eslahjou Babak Eslahjou
	thomsonreport Thomson Crew
	aboutsmitherman Curious About George
	RobFordAngry
	shitrobfordsays Shit Rob Ford Says
	MayorBlobFord Shit Mayor Ford Says
	OTnosmohT The Great One
	mayorobford Rob Ford (fake Rob)
	Bikemayor vote 4 bikes
	AcclaimJohnTory Acclaim John Tory
	TheRealJohnTory John Tory
	torytube Not John Tory
	notjohntory Not John Tory
	Mayor_George Mayor George
	meatloafmayor Mayor Meatloaf
	MayorFord Mayor Ford

	AcidGuy4Mayor acidguyformayor
	danformayor Dan Phillips
	subwaymayor subway mayor
	fakemambamayor Fake Mamba Mayor
	MovieMayor Bert Xanadu
	mayorzanta Zanta
	sarahskey Not Sarah Thomson
	RoccoForMayor Rocco
	danformayortv Dan For Mayor
	mayorofmars Mayor of Mars
	SecondCityTO Second City Toronto
	NoNameMayor Toronto Mayor
	mambamayor Mamba Mayor
	rebelmayor WilliamLyonMacKenzie
	Giorgio_News Giorgio News
	giorgio_4_mayor giorgio mammoliti
	MayorGiambrone Adam