Thread by @DAJHetherington

Thanks to everyone sharing my threads about the outrageously inaccurate #abelxn23 polling. I hope post-election there will be a serious discussion about polling practices, influence, and ethics. This thread discusses the legal requirements for polls. #ableg #abpoli

https://twitter.com/DAJHetherington/status/1662327427606142977

The Alberta Elections Act sets out a general requirement for election surveys in section 135. Pollsters must register with the Chief Electoral Officer, but there's no certification. Anyone can call themselves a pollster regardless of their affiliation or qualifications.

There are some general disclosure requirements, including who commissioned the poll and some basic details, but methodology is up to the pollster. There is no set standard.

The Alberta Elections Act states that polls not based on "recognized statistical methods" must disclose so, but it doesn't say what recognized statistical methods are. Presumably, the onus would be on a plaintiff to establish that the poll is not based on recognized methods.

Finally, the Act says you can't release a poll on election day, a reasonable restriction that prevents pollsters from standing outside voting stations asking who you just voted for. That would be incredibly irritating.

So to recap:
1. Anyone can be a pollster.
2. Pollsters can use any method they want.
3. There are few rules and no penalties for breaking any of them.
But surely nobody would abuse these loose regulations to put out misleading polls that might influence voter intentions. 🤔