Regina and other urban municipalities pushing for spring elections

A fall civic election was met by winter the last time ballots were cast for mayor and councils across Saskatchewan. Some communities had to postpone the vote. Now, Regina is among several cities pushing for spring civic elections.

“That municipal elections move to May of 2024 and therefore every four years subsequent to that,” said Jim Nicol, acting Regina City Manager.

Civic elections have been running later in the year to avoid conflict with provincial election campaigns. The province moved its vote from spring to fall about twenty years ago.

“We did have concerns about the closeness of the elections back in 2020 between the province and the municipalities,” Nicol explained.

“Just for logistics, getting volunteers. You also have to fight some election fatigue.”

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Spring civic and fall provincial elections have been recommended by the province’s chief electoral officer. Cities agree but rural communities want to stick with fall.

Randy Goulden, the President of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) is suggesting cities could vote in May and towns in September.

“So we’ve been working with our members to provide dates that would certainly help facilitate safe and democratic elections,” she said.

Whatever date or dates are chosen for the next civic election, it will take provincial government approval through legislation.

With only two years left to prepare, municipalities are hoping that the province makes a decision sooner rather than later.