The best data wins: Assessing policies that regulate the collection, use, and disclosure of voter data by Canadian federal parties

Advances in data analytics and data-driven tools have significantly changed how federal parties campaign to win highly competitive election races in Canada. Despite these advances, federal parties are not currently regulated by data protection legislation, enabling the near unfettered collection, use, and disclosure of voter information. Consequently, there is growing concern among researchers and advocacy groups that data-driven campaign tactics infringe on individual privacy rights and undermine the democratic integrity of elections. This research examines these concerns through a literature review, expert interviews, and a jurisdictional scan. Contributing to original research, this research evaluates four policy options for regulating how federal parties campaign with voter data and data-driven tools. Currently, all major federal parties exhibit little political will to regulate themselves through data protection legislation; this research concludes by commenting on the political feasibility and potential for implementing data protection regulation.