It feels like a lifetime away, but the wheels are already turning in Saskatchewan for the next provincial election, even though it’s over two years out. Imagine planning a massive community event that involves literally everyone – 850,000 people! That’s the scale we’re talking about, according to Michael Boda, the Chief Electoral Officer. He smartly points out that you need to start much earlier for something this big than, say, organizing a major sporting event like the Grey Cup. In fact, May is all about getting new voters on board with a special Voter Registration Month campaign. But beyond the public-facing efforts, a lot of serious, policy-level work is happening behind the scenes. Boda and his team have come up with a whole list of suggestions they’re hoping will be put into action before the 2028 election. Some of these ideas are about making it easier for everyone to vote, while others are tackling some really serious concerns like foreign interference and the spread of misinformation, which have become huge challenges in our increasingly digital world.
The digital landscape is changing at lightning speed, and it’s creating a challenging environment for our democratic institutions to protect themselves from misinformation and foreign meddling. Jim Farney, a professor and director at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School, highlights how much this threat has evolved. He remembers a time when foreign interference was pretty obvious and easy to spot. But now, it’s far more sophisticated, “very convincing and very narrowly targeted, and often seemingly very local stories.” This new level of deception makes it incredibly difficult for organizations like Elections Saskatchewan to counter. It’s like trying to fight a ghost – the attacks are harder to pin down and even harder to prove. Boda is working hard to bring some of these solutions forward, and a few of his recommendations were even tested out during the recent 2024 provincial election. Now, he’s asking the government to officially make them law. These include things like allowing people to vote by mail and implementing a “Voting Week,” which gave voters six days to cast their ballots at polling stations instead of just one, making it much more convenient for busy people to participate.
Beyond just the practical aspects of voting, Boda is revisiting some legislative changes he proposed before the 2024 election but which didn’t get implemented. These are specifically aimed at tackling disinformation, foreign interference, and the emergence of artificial intelligence in political campaigns. He wants his office to have more muscle to push social media companies and even individuals to take down posts that are deliberately spreading lies about the election process. This isn’t just about good manners; it would require new laws that make it a crime to knowingly make false statements about things like when and where to vote. Boda explains that right now, he can try to talk sense into social media giants and individuals, but ultimately, he doesn’t have the legal authority to force them to remove or correct false information. It’s a frustrating position to be in when you’re trying to protect the integrity of an election. This issue of trust, he notes, is something he’s seen in fledgling democracies, and it’s concerning that it’s now showing up in North America. We’re fortunate in Saskatchewan, though; a 2024 survey showed a high level of trust, around 89%, in Elections Saskatchewan, which is a good sign but also highlights the need to remain vigilant.
Ultimately, whether these recommendations become reality rests in the hands of elected officials. Farney beautifully sums up the dilemma: “Is the legislature interested in updating that legislation to take effect to take account of the fact that we’ve invented social media? Because I don’t think the legislation as it stands is ready to deal with those threats.” This isn’t just about minor tweaks; it’s about fundamentally rethinking how our laws apply to an entirely new digital landscape that didn’t exist when many of these regulations were first created. The world has moved on, and our laws need to catch up. Another innovative idea Boda is proposing is a “vote-by-phone” option for what he calls “gap voters.” These are people who fully intended to vote in person and didn’t register for a mail-in ballot, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they find themselves unable to make it to the polling station on election day.
This vote-by-phone option wouldn’t be a free-for-all, however. A voter would need approval to use it, and a specialized two-person team would be in place to verify their identity and ensure their ballot is handled securely. Boda anticipates that less than a hundred people would likely use this option, but he hopes to pilot it in 2028 before making a final decision on whether to recommend it become a permanent law. It’s a thoughtful approach to ensuring that every eligible voter has a chance to participate, even when life throws unexpected curveballs. Beyond provincial elections, Boda is also starting to talk with municipalities about potentially moving civic elections to the spring. Currently, they often coincide with provincial elections in the fall, which can sometimes create confusion or overload for voters. While this is still just a discussion and not yet an official recommendation for 2028, it shows a broader commitment to optimizing the entire electoral process to make it as smooth and accessible as possible for everyone in Saskatchewan. It’s a continuous effort to adapt and improve, ensuring that our democratic process remains strong and trustworthy in an ever-evolving world.