Technology creates ways to 'like' vote

Use of social media has changed significantly during the past four years and Saskatchewan's major political parties are in the midst of the first provincial election in which "tweeting" and "liking" are part of the political landscape.

In 2007, Facebook and Twitter weren't household names and their popularity was only starting to grow. The situation today is "a lot different, that's for sure," said Derek Robinson, communications and new media manager for the Saskatchewan Party.

"I think all parties are being pretty aggressive on social media, and we're no different," he said.

For the campaign, the Sask. Party has a new website and a smartphone "app" that has been downloaded about 1,000 times. The website features "badges" that users can download to fill profile-picture spaces with a pro-Sask. Party message. There are also "Brad Wall-papers" that supporters can download to use as desktop backgrounds.

The party is also active on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, Robinson noted. Some candidates respond to questions from the public via their Facebook pages and Wall has regularly been "tweeting" from the road.

"Compared to 2007, I think it's light years ahead," Robinson said of the campaign. "There's a lot of engagement going on and a lot of pretty interesting debate."

Some candidates are more comfortable with the technology than others, Robinson noted.

"Everyone's still kind of learning," he said.

Jaime Garcia, NDP candidate for Regina Coronation Park, said his party's approach to social media is to allow candidates "a certain amount of freedom to sort of express themselves through it.

"It's just about communicating what our main messages are, but also putting out our own personal experiences and what we're seeing at the local level and sharing that with people," he said.

All NDP candidates have a "politician page" on Facebook and some use other social media tools, too, he said. Some even recruit volunteers via social media, Garcia said, noting "comfort level" is a factor for those on the NDP side, as well.

Use of social media, especially Twitter, is still growing in Saskatchewan, he noted. And being busy on the campaign trail also means some candidates who usually update social media frequently might not have been doing so recently.

"Honestly, I don't know if it will have a huge significance on the outcome of the election," Garcia added. "I think that for individual candidates, it will play a part in how they can rally up their own support base, especially in this last week.

"I think in the future, social media will play a very important role in elections, in campaigns and in open government in general," he continued. "But there's nothing that replaces the face-to-face conversations with people on the doorstep."

On that point, the parties agree.

"It doesn't replace traditional campaigning at all," Robinson said. "You still need to go out on the doorstep and you still need to meet people. Social media is just an extension of that."