Saskatchewan’s provincial and municipal elections were held two weeks apart in the fall of 2020 (October 26th and November 9th, respectively. In light of the overlap in election periods last year, and prescribed in law to occur every four years thereafter, the Chief Electoral Officer has recommended that municipal/school board elections be moved ahead by six months to May 2024 and every four years thereafter.
At a recent meeting of the City Mayors/City Managers’ Caucus, members were asked to gauge the support of their respective Councils respecting the recommendation from the Chief Electoral Officer.
Strategic Impacts
Changing the election date and holding it six months earlier or later than the currently legislated November date would eliminate many of the challenges faced in holding the election in close proximity to the provincial election, such as worker recruitment, voter fatigue and voter confusion.
Financial Impacts
Changing the election date is likely to have minimal incremental impact on the cost of running the election, as the change in timing does not eliminate the legal requirement to conduct the election. However, there may be a reduction in communication related expenses as there may be less need to address voter confusion between the provincial and municipal elections.
Other Implications
There are no accessibility, environmental or legal/risk impacts arising from this report.
There are three options from which Council is requested to make its position known:
Option #1
Concur with the Chief Electoral Officer’s recommendation to move the election ahead by six months from November 2024 to May 2024, with subsequent elections held every four years thereafter;
Option #2
Request that the election be deferred by six months from November 2024 to May 2025, with subsequent elections held every four years thereafter; or
Option #3
Retain the originally scheduled election date of November 2024, with subsequent elections held every four years thereafter.
Once considered by Council, a letter will be sent from Mayor Masters on behalf of City Council to the Minister of Government Relations conveying the City’s position on this matter.
The currently legislated schedule for provincial and municipal elections will continue to overlap in the fall of 2024 and subsequently every four years. The next provincial election is slated to be held on October 28, 2024 and the municipal/school board elections are scheduled on November 13, 2024.
Legislation is in place to ensure that federal and provincial elections do not overlap in such a short timeframe. There is no current legislative provision to eliminate this overlap between provincial and municipal/school board elections.
Surveys conducted by Elections Saskatchewan in the fall of 2020 found that nearly 55% of voters stated that there should be more time between two election dates, preferably a calendar season whereby one election is held in the spring while the other is held in the fall. In addition, 21% of voters surveyed said they were confused between provincial and municipal candidates while a similar percentage said that they were confused as to whether issues being discussed were relevant at the local or provincial level.
Feedback received by Elections Regina shared similar concerns. In addition, staff received numerous inquiries respecting voter registration, advance polling dates and mail-in ballot requirements respecting the provincial election. Having two elections held so closely together can also lead to challenges in recruiting election workers and securing appropriate polling locations and other campaign resources. The communications budget was increased significantly in an attempt to alleviate confusion.
One other element that can negatively impact Election Day is the weather. November 9th last year saw much of Saskatchewan hit by a major snowstorm. While Regina escaped the worst part of the storm, other jurisdictions like Swift Current and Saskatoon were hit hard, resulting in the postponement of their election by a few days. While it is out of our control, the negative impact it can have on voter turnout is considerable.
The Chief Electoral Officer has discussed this matter with the City Clerk and members of the Saskatchewan Association of City Clerks (SACC). The position taken by the City Clerk, as well as that of SACC, is that this is a political issue for elected members to determine while reinforcing that all measures will be taken to conduct efficient elections regardless of the date ultimately selected.
The recommendation in this report require City Council approval.
Respectfully submitted,
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