Premier Moe calls byelections to fill 3 vacant seats

Premier Scott Moe has called three byelections for Aug. 10 to fill legislative assembly vacancies.

Voters in Lumsden-Morse, Regina Coronation Parkand Regina Walsh Acres will choose their new MLAs next month.

For the first time in the province, voters will have six days to cast a ballot. The voting week will run from Aug. 3 to 10. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. CST on Aug.3, 4, 5, 6and 8. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST on Aug. 10, the official byelection day.

"Voters in these three constituencies will have a chance to decide which candidate will ensure Saskatchewan's strong growth continues and that it's growth that works for everyone," Moe said in a news release.

"I expect to see a strongly contested campaign by all parties and candidates."

WATCH|Premier Moe calls byelections to fill 3 vacant seats:

Premier Moe calls byelections to fill 3 vacant seats

1 year ago

Duration 2:24

Premier Scott Moe has called three byelections for Aug. 10 to fill legislative assembly vacancies. Voters in Lumsden-Morse, Regina Coronation Park and Regina Walsh Acres will choose their new MLAs next month.

Moe kicked off the campaign in Regina alongside his three candidates on Thursday morning. Hepromoted the government's growth agenda.

"We have more people living in Saskatchewan. There are more jobs available in Saskatchewan and there are more opportunities available for Saskatchewan people. There's more investment in important government services that people in this province expect," Moe said.

Due to legislation, Moe had to call the byelection for Coronation Park before Friday. He had previously committed to running all three byelections simultaneously. Moe could have held the vote in June, but ultimately waited.

This will be Saskatchewan's first byelection in July or August in more than 70 years. The last July byelection was in 1951 and there hasn't been an August byelectionsince 1938.

On June 23, NDP Leader Carla Beck called for the byelection to be called sooner rather than later. She accused Moe of delaying the call to get a lower turnout due to an August vote, when people might be away from their constituency on vacation.

"Suppressing vote or making it hard for people to vote is not terribly democratic," Beck said.

Beck met the media outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building alongside her two Regina candidates on Thursday afternoon.

"Saskatchewan people deserve leaders who work as hard as they do, representatives who are focused on what matters to them, not serving their own self interests. And we are ready to hit the ground running on day one," Beck said.

She said voters have expressed concerns on the doorstep about the cost-of-living,their grocery bills and access to health-care.

The Saskatchewan Party held all three seats being contested. Both the Saskatchewan Party and NDP have nominated candidates in all three constituencies. The Saskatchewan United Party announced this week it had chosen a candidate for Lumsden-Morse.

The byelections have been triggered due to two resignations and one death.

Former MLA for Regina Coronation Park Mark Docherty resigned in February to pursue other opportunities. The former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and minister of parks, culture, and sport was elected to represent the Saskatchewan Party in 2011.

On March 6, veteran Saskatchewan Party MLA for Lumsden-Morse and former minister of agriculture Lyle Stewart announced his resignation for health reasons.

On March 28, Saskatchewan Party MLA for Regina Walsh Acres Derek Meyers died after a battle with cancer.

Elections Sask. trying new voting week model

Saskatchewan's chief electoral officer Micheal Boda said the byelection's voting week model will "allow my team to test alternate procedures, which are valuable experiences as Elections Saskatchewan prepares for the October 2024 general election."

Boda would like the government to adopt the model for the general provincialelection in 2024, and move away from advanced voting and election day traditions.

The byelection offers a chance to see that model for the first time.

"Every key stakeholder, from voters, to candidates and registered political parties, to election officials will benefit from an election system that improves access to the ballots for voters, provides important data to political stakeholders,
introduces efficiencies, and offers greater integrity to the system itself," Boda said.

Nominations close on July 25 and Aug. 1 is the deadline to get on the voters list.

Vote-by-mail will also be offered. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1.