California's new Open Primary has pitted two Democratic incumbents, Rep. Howard Berman and Rep. Brad Sherman, against each other.

Gary Johnson and Jill Stein have both put forward government reforms as part of their platforms and, for both candidates, their visions are a stark contrast to what the Democrats and Republicans have in mind for the upcoming fiscal year.

In the last year, we have seen the rise of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram in political campaigning, with both national and local candidates utilizing the immediacy of social media as an integral component to their campaign strategy. Tweets and Facebook posts target voters, humanize candidates, and spread breaking news in real-time.

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. 

Name:

Evan Vucci (@evanvucci)

Virgil Goode, a third party presidential candidate, is the nominee for the lesser known Constitution Party. He has ballot access is most states for the November election.

As Romney and Obama march toward November, all eyes are focused on the two parties and their battle for the White House. Many Americans are unaware of the struggle of third-party candidates such as Justice Party candidate Rocky Anderson to gain media attention and ballot access.