July 28, 2022 – Elections Saskatchewan today tabled its 2021-2022 Annual Report, Foundations for Modernization, with the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.
Within that report, the Chief Electoral Officer has restated his recommendation that the Government of Saskatchewan introduce legislation to solve the continued overlap of provincial and municipal election periods.
“Provincial and municipal elections should not be held weeks apart,” says Dr. Michael Boda, Chief Electoral Officer of Saskatchewan. “That was the scenario we faced in 2020 and it was not good for voters, candidates or election administrators. I am continuing to recommend that municipal elections move to May 2024 while the next provincial election remains in October 2024, with that timing repeated every four years.”
The annual report also covers the continuation of the close-out of Saskatchewan’s 29th General Election in October 2020, describes recommends for improvements made over the past year, and offers an overview of the preparations underway for the next general election in 2024. That event will look different from past elections held in the province, with workers using laptop computers and ballot tabulators counting votes (all ballots will continue to be hand-marked by voters).
The report evaluates the progress made by Elections Saskatchewan towards its 2017 – 2022 strategic plan and begins to lay the foundation for the next strategic plan.
“I am proud of the accomplishments made over the life of our previous strategic plan,” says Dr. Boda. “The strategic imperative, values, and goals within allowed us to weather great uncertainty during the past several years. And it helps set the stage for the modernization that will take place in 2024.”
The report is on our website: www.elections.sk.ca/resource-centre/reports-publications/.
Elections Saskatchewan (ESK) is the province’s nonpartisan election management body and an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. ESK directs and supervises the administration of provincial electoral events including Saskatchewan’s next general election, scheduled, by legislation, for October 28, 2024. Information for voters, workers, media, candidates, and parties at www.elections.sk.ca.
For more information contact:
Tim Kydd
Senior Director, Outreach & Communications
Elections Saskatchewan
306.537.9211
[email protected]