The social media election

Much of this provincial election campaign is expected to take place in social media. Many of the candidates are on Twitter, Facebook or both, where they can speak directly to voters or rally their supporters.

All five of the main party leaders are on Facebook and Twitter:
- Progressive Conservative Leader Alison Redford: Twitter and Facebook (also here)

- Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith: Twitter and Facebook
- Liberal Leader Raj Sherman: Twitter and Facebook

- NDP Leader Brian Mason: Twitter and Facebook
- Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor: Twitter and Facebook

For regular analysis of how the leaders are doing on social media, check out the new website AlbertaTweets.ca, which is producing infographics on how active each leader is and how much each engages with the people talking to them.

Here's Roger Kingkade of Calgary's X92.9 on the effect of social media on the first half of this election campaign:

Blogs and websites of note:

Vassy Kapelos, Global’s provincial affairs reporter in Alberta, blogs here.

You might also want to keep an eye on other journalists’ blogs, including the Edmonton Journal’s Capital Notebook and the Calgary Herald on Politics.

Edmonton-based political blogger Dave Cournoyer has compiled a riding-by-riding list of the nominated candidates and their social media pages: (The candidate list will not be official until 14 days after the writ drops.) For his observations on the campaign, visit daveberta.ca.

Calgary-based political observer Jody MacPherson puts together a daily ScoopIt page compiling the Alberta politics news she comes across.

More observations from bloggers who watch Alberta politics closely can be found at Susan on the Soapbox by Susan Wright and at The Enlightened Savage by Joey Oberhoffner.

For poll analysis and seat projections, try threehundredeight.com and Election Almanac.

What other blogs do you follow for news and opinion on provincial politics? Send your suggestions to [email protected].