Candidates outside the Constituency & Other Items
Candidates who Live Outside Constituency
A candidate does not need to reside in the constituency in which they are running. Section 16(5) of The Election Act, 1996 allows candidates, as well as their spouse and dependents (who must live with the candidate and be eligible voters) to be added to the voters list and to vote in the constituency in which the candidate is running. There is a form that must be completed to facilitate this process.
For this election, that form has been included as part of the nomination package that every candidate must complete. This also means that the deadline to submit this form will be the same as the nomination deadline, which is, by legislation, a minimum of 16 days before the last day of voting. I will be able to tell you the nomination deadline with certainty once the election has been called.
There is one additional item that your candidates (and their spouse/dependents) should be aware of. If they apply to vote by mail before their section 16(5) request is processed, their Vote by Mail kit will be for the constituency in which they reside and not the constituency in which they are running as a candidate. Please ensure your candidates and potential candidates understand this.
Access to Condos and Multi-Residential Apartment Buildings
The Election Act, 1996 requires that Elections Saskatchewan provide third parties with confirmation that candidates have a right to access condominiums and multi-residential apartment buildings if required. However, the actual right to access is outlined in The Condominium Property Act and The Residential Tenancies Act which fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.
Attached is a form called the E-420 Right to Access that you should provide to your candidates and their campaign teams. This form was developed to serve as an informational sheet that can be provided to building owners and property managers and also for candidates to appoint canvassers. All canvassers should print this form and carry it with them as they campaign. The form can also be found on our website on our “Forms and Guides” page under the “Candidate’s Representatives” heading – https://www.elections.sk.ca/candidates-political-parties/forms-and-guides/.
Selecting an Auditor
I know that your candidates have plenty on their mind as the election period approaches. Selecting the right auditor may not seem like a priority, but it is an important step in ensuring your candidates and their financial agents are able to fulfill their legislated requirements.
Auditors are required to be a member in good standing of a recognized accounting profession that is regulated by an Act. In Saskatchewan, this means they must be active members of CPA Saskatchewan and are authorized to perform audit services. You and your candidates can confirm an auditor’s eligibility by using the search tool on the CPA website.
https://member.cpask.ca/CPASK/Member-Firm-Search-Pages/Find-a-CPA-Firm.aspx
My office has published a number of guides that will be useful to potential auditors. These documents were all updated this past summer and provide a wealth of information about the role and what an auditor is expected to look for in reviewing an election expense return. These guides can also be found in the “Forms and Guides” section of our website, and I have attached A Guide for the Auditor of a Candidate in a Provincial Election to this communique. Please ensure this information is made available to all candidates.
Financial Agent Training Opportunities
Just a brief reminder of the materials available on our Financial Agent Training School page (https://www.elections.sk.ca/candidates-political-parties/financial-agent-training/). There has been enough interest in our training webinars that one session is currently full, and we have added an additional date and time. Please continue to share this link and information throughout your party.
Fiscal Period Returns Posted
Finally, I wanted to ensure you were aware that all RPP fiscal period returns have now been posted to our website with a status of “as reviewed.’ Both PDF and CSV files are available. These can be found here within the “Political Finance” section of our site.
Dr. Michael Boda
Chief Electoral Officer
Province of Saskatchewan