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Imagine a Secretary of Social Networks as part of the Presidents cabinet.  If the impact of the internet on this election continues its current technological fashion, then the winning candidate might just have to add another chair at cabinet meetings as social networks are becoming critical to getting elected.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project has released a survey detailing web usage for the 2008 election. It finds more Americans than ever before are using technology to get informed and get involved and expands on the role of social networks in the Obama campaign as detailed in the June issue of Atlantic Magazine.

46 percent of those surveyed say they’re using the internet, email and cell phones for campaign information and candidate/party/issue advocacy. Obama’s campaign is no doubt sending out memos to field offices at this moment relaying the Pew news that 74 percent of his “wired” supporters rely on the internet for election news, since that represents a target-rich environment for further organization, fundraising and messaging.

John McCain’s campaign isn’t lagging that far behind: in a duel of the presumptive nominees’ supporters, the Pew Project says 56 percent of McCain’s backers are getting news and other political information online compared to Obama’s 65 percent. There is plenty of time for McCain’s braintrust to level the digital playing field.

While the survey’s findings are showing that the internet is helping 28 percent of those polled feel more “personally connected” to the campaigns, even more are concerned that the web provides an powerful echo chamber for negative campaigning and “extreme viewpoints.” Obama was on the sharp end of several web-based attacks during the primary, forcing his campaign managers to set up fightthesmears.com. If recent history is any indication, that kind of tactic won’t stop the fringes on both sides from using the web to mine the darkest impulses of the electorate.

Read [Pew Internet and American Life Project]