Chart: ‘Liking’ the leaders

Engaging with voters on social media is an essential part of the modern campaign. Here’s who’s ahead in the digital race.

<p>The sun rises behind the entrance sign to Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park before the company&#8217;s IPO launch, May 18, 2012. Facebook Inc, will begin trading on the Nasdaq market on Friday, with it&#8217;s initial public offering at $38 per share, valuing the world&#8217;s largest social network at more than $100 billion.   REUTERS/Beck Diefenbach   (UNITED STATES &#8211; Tags: BUSINESS)</p>

(Beck Diefenbach/Reuters)

Long gone are the days when pamphlets, lawn signs and door-to-door canvasing were enough to win a riding. Politicians must now engage with voters not only in the physical world, but in the digital realm, as well. Reaching citizens through social media on their computers, phones and tablets is not a novelty—it’s a necessity. With that in mind, we took a brief look at which leaders are finding the most engagement on three major social platforms: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Who is winning the popularity vote on the social web?chart_social