Is Social Media overtaking the Polls?

Our federal government has become less and less representative of the beliefs of Americans and more and more polarized as a result of a lack of civic engagement and voter turn out in the last few decades. People are becoming discouraged and believe their voices have not been heard. Instead of vying for their candidate of choice and navigating their engagement in a campaign through a highly restrictive online campaign, they have taken to Social Media forums to express their political identities. Social Media, especially Twitter, has become the place to turn to and express political beliefs. Are politicians going to become more accountable to nationwide, or even global, dissent on Social Media — which lies outside of the legal framework for representation?