Dear IVN Readers,

As the media brings you 24/7 news coverage of a British baby, we are proud to do real investigative reporting on things that matter to the foundation of our democracy and a productive civil discourse.

Follow along this week as we cover the Hawaii Democratic Party's attempt to prevent nonaffiliated voters from having the right to participate in the primary elections, or the Republican v. Independent head-to-head match-up in the 52nd district resulting from California's new nonpartisan primary system.

Currently, Tumblr hosts 125.7 million blogs. Tumblr's micro-blogging format allows users to post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos easily from a computer or smartphone. While Tumblr appeals largely to a younger audience, politicians and political groups have been increasingly using the platform to share information in a coherent, clever, and thought-provoking manner.

kshiota / shutterstock.com

Credit: Laborant / Shutterstock.com

Elizabeth (Liz) Cheney's decision to challenge incumbent Wyoming US Senator Mike Enzi, a Republican, has many political watchers' scratching heads.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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As part of our effort to report on social media trends, tools, and technology, we will be periodically recognizing politicians, candidates, and political organizations who are utilizing social media in effective and creative ways.