“The Blogosphere” probably sounds like the title of an old, and really bad sci-fi movie to alot of people. But today, the role of bloggers in the recent democratic primary for a special election for a state senate seat in Massachusetts is the subject of an op-ed in The Boston Globe — where even the most old school ward heeler may find it.

John Palfrey, executive director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School noticed that one candidate in the four way democratic primary for an open state senate seat was the talk of the blogosphere. One campaign had a web site. And one campaign and its supporters made effective use of internet tools like meet-ups as pioneered by the Howard Dean campaign for president.

The candidate was Pat Jehlen, and she won by a wide margin on Tuesday. (Unofficial final tally was: Pat Jehlen – 7117; Joseph Mackey – 4984; Michael Callahan – 4122; Paul Casey – 2457.)

But Palfrey is not jumping to any conclusions. “Pat Jehlen (for whom I voted),” he writes, “had the strongest cyberpresence, but a modest one at that. It’s unlikely that her cyber-coordinator can claim to have pulled many winning votes.”

“But it’s clear that a feisty group of voters did gather online throughout the race and left a clear record of their presence. The trail of these voters reveals an informal focus group held online over several months. The most successful politicians will learn to listen, if not to participate, in this conversation. Sooner or later, candidates, even for local office, will find votes in cyberspace.”

Palfrey notes that endorsing groups, suchas DFA used internet tools like meet-ups and blogging as part of their campaign support and political culture. And “Independent bloggers like Frederick Clarkson weighed in on the race.” Indeed we did.

One historical note is that the first press release I, and other MA political bloggers received from a political candidate, was from Pat Jehlen. This outreach was not an afterthought — a senior Jehlen campaign aide told me it was planned from early on. This was because our role in the special elections for the MA house last spring had been noted. (We were busy reporting on, and stimulating statewide interest in these races for three open seats while most of the media and the political punditocracy slept.) When the history of political blogging is written, it will be noted that the democratic primary in that special election is when the MA poltical blogosphere first emerged as a factor in political life in MA.

As I wrote on primary night, the independent bloggers, especially Blue Mass Group played a critical role in this campaign — generating interest and conversation across the lazy days of summer when there was little press coverage.

Already, having a campaign blog is becoming part of the communications infrastructure of many campaigns around the country thanks to the new class of internet consultants who can explain the merits of having a campaign blog — and make them happen.

This is good I suppose, but I think that the most exciting developments are in the ways that independent groups use these tools. And of course, I think we independent bloggers are playing an important role in expanding the political conversation. I would go so far as to say that bloggers are playing a catalytic role in helping to revive democratic institutions all over the country. We are doing this in part, by informing and stimulating interest and participation in electoral politics. For the most part, the peculiar alliance of the mainstream media and the political parties, and the punditocracy and the constultantocracy tend to close ranks, narrow the conversation and deaden popular interest in democracy. (Makes it all more manageable, you see.) The revival of an active citizenry — determined to be well informed about electoral politics and government — is reopening democracy to much wider and more meaningful participation, the frantic efforts of some to keep it a closed and oligarchic system not withstanding.

BTW. The general election is on September 27th. Somerville Alderman Bill White is Jehlen’s Republican opponent.