This article analyzes the general characteristics of the evolution that political party websites have undergone in countries enjoying the most advanced forms for applying techno-political tools and through a comparative lens looks at the process as it unfolded in the Spanish case. It describes the major features of the websites of the main Spanish political parties during the 2008 elections and looks at the complementary actions of political actors in other cyber-political platforms which were used during that same campaign. It concludes that publicity and propaganda functions prevail in these websites, although their minoritarian direct audience does not guarantee much in the way of electoral efficacy. Yet it also considers that changes in functions of civic deliberation, supply of detailed information and mobilizational interactivity are not given enough attention and argues that political parties and candidates should, in the future, devote more to these areas within their websites. Some recommendations based on this study for strategic coordination with other activities of political cyber-communication are made, valid for cyber-political use in any country.
Internet; political parties; websites; cyber-communication; cyber-democracy; technopolitics; electoral campaigns