As Calgary's mayoral candidates try to stand out in a crowded field, some are trying to appeal to the city's younger, more tech-savvy voters with sophisticated web-based campaigns.

Both Ald. Bob Hawkesworth and Mount Royal University professor Naheed Nenshi are making extensive use of the social networking site Twitter leading up to the Oct. 18 vote.

Nenshi's campaign also features a customized iPhone app for supporters to download.

But a web-heavy strategy is risky, according to Calgary political scientist Lisa Young, because the younger voters it targets are the least likely to vote.

"To the extent that he's appealing to a younger demographic, to people who maybe are newer to Calgary, those are exactly the people who we know are less likely to vote. So he's got to do a huge get out the vote drive," the University of Calgary professor said.

Nenshi acknowledged that a 21st century political campaign has to include face-to-face interaction too, like coffee parties and backyard barbeques.

"The whole philosophy of this campaign is 'hit people where they live'. And for some people, they live on their iPhones, for some people, they live online, and for many, many people, they live in backyards and living rooms and dining rooms across the city," he said.