Voters list & expense limit details, a clarification on the deadline for homebound voting, and information on the counting of advance votes.
Voters Lists and Expense Limits
Voter registration for these three by-elections closed at 11:59 p.m. on February 21. With the close of registration, we have compiled the voters lists that will be used during the by-elections – they have been available on our FTP site since yesterday afternoon. The total number of registered voters for each constituency is:
All of you will be aware that any voter who is not yet on the voters list can be added at the time of voting.
With voter registration closed, we can also confirm expense limits for both candidates and registered political parties for these three by-elections. By legislation, the expense limit for registered political parties for a by-election in a southern constituency is the greater of $49,632 or $3.99 * names on voters list. For candidates, the expense limit is the greater of $59,641 or $3.99 * names on voters list.
In all three constituencies, the base amounts are higher, which means that the registered political party expense limit is $49,632 and the candidate expense limit is $59,641.
Homebound Voting – Administrative Clarification
Elections are all about details. While we make every effort to ensure every detail is correct, occasionally we miss something. On an insert that accompanied the Voters Information Cards (VICs) for these three by-elections, the deadline for homebound voting was listed as February 22 when it should have been February 21. Only one voter in all three constituencies applied on February 22, which is technically one day after the actual deadline, but given that the administrative error was on our end, I have decided that this individual will be allowed to vote as a homebound voter.
Counting of Advance Poll Ballots – Location
Advance poll ballots are typically counted at the same location that held the advance poll and where voting took place. Sometimes, however, the advance poll location is not used on election day, which makes counting ballots there impractical. In the constituency of Kindersley, advance poll ballots cast in Kerrobert (Senior Hall – 541 Atlantic Ave) will be counted on election night at the returning office (544 Atlantic Ave, Kerrobert). The returning officer has informed your candidates directly, but please ensure this message is understood as candidate representatives who want to observe the counting of advance poll ballots will need to attend the returning office and not the advance poll location.
Dr. Michael Boda
Chief Electoral Officer
Province of Saskatchewan