Not to cloud this discussion with facts, but... and this would apply to
those in Federal Agencies, which none of the candidates are in (unless they
are acting in their capacity as a Senator), but others in Govt are subject
to... 

Here's a list of "Agencies"

http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/agency/officers-lists.html

http://www.archives.gov/about/regulations/part-1234.html

And more specifically, §1234.24 Standards for managing electronic mail records.

(4) Agencies with access to external electronic mail systems shall ensure
that Federal records sent or received on these systems are preserved in the
appropriate record keeping system and that reasonable steps are taken to
capture available transmission and receipt data needed by the agency for
record keeping purposes.

Further....


(i) Agencies must not use an electronic mail system to store the record
keeping copy of electronic mail messages identified as Federal records
unless that system has all of the features specified in paragraph (b)(1) of
this section.

(ii) If the electronic mail system is not designed to be a record keeping
system, agencies must instruct staff on how to copy Federal records from the
electronic mail system to a record keeping system.

Additionally...

(e) Agencies shall ensure that information is not lost because of changing
technology or deterioration by converting storage media to provide
compatibility with the agency's current hardware and software. Before
conversion to a different medium, agencies must determine that the
authorized disposition of the electronic records can be implemented after
conversion.

(f) Agencies shall back up electronic records on a regular basis to
safeguard against the loss of information due to equipment malfunctions or
human error. Duplicate copies of permanent or unscheduled records shall be
maintained in storage areas separate from the location of the records that
have been copied.

And, with respect to more dynamic forms of electronic communications (in
this guidance, specifically IM)
http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/initiatives/im-faq.html

Does IM content qualify as a Federal Record?

The statutory definition of records (44 U.S.C. 3301) includes all machine
readable materials made or received by an agency of the United States
Government under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public
business. Agencies that allow IM traffic on their networks must recognize
that such content may be a Federal record under that definition and must
manage the records accordingly. The ephemeral nature of IM heightens the
need for users to be aware that they may be creating records using this
application, and to properly manage and preserve record content. Agency
records management staff determine the record status of the IM content based
on the overall records management policies and practices of their agency. 

How do I manage my IM content?

Agencies developing a comprehensive policy need to ensure that IM content is
managed consistently across the agency in its component offices. An
effective policy addresses the authorized use of the IM technology and
provides guidelines for the management of the records generated during an IM
session. This is especially important because IM content may be subject to
various types of access requests, including under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) or as part of a discovery process in a litigation context.

IM content that is a record must be managed as such. Here are two ways:

    * Provide policies that inform users what steps to undertake to manage
the content;
      or,
    * Configure the IM client or server to capture IM without user intervention.

IM content that is a Federal record must be managed in conjunction with
related records.

How can I schedule IM content?

If an agency determines IM content to be a Federal record, the record must
have a NARA-approved disposition authority. Do not identify IM content as a
single series of records with a universal disposition. Instead, evaluate IM
content within the context of the overall records of the program to which
the IM relates and the business rules that may apply. Disposition
instructions for IM should be consistent with similar agency records.
Schedule in accordance with the agency's established records management
policy. IM records may already be scheduled as part of other series, such as
records typically found in a case file or a correspondence system.

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