Digital campaigning in small municipalities: electoral visibility in low-budget Brazilian contexts.

Abstract

The article analyzes the use of digital electoral communication in mayoral campaigns in small Brazilian municipalities with low budgets. Employing a mixed methodology — documentary, exploratory, and quali-quantitative analysis — it investigated five municipalities with similar socioeconomic profiles. The results reveal a limited and non-strategic use of social media, with minimal allocation of resources to the digital environment. Despite the country’s hyperconnectivity, candidates prioritize face-to-face actions, highlighting challenges in phygital integration and in effectively harnessing the potential of digital platforms in local contexts.