Regina hopes making voting 'as easy as possible' will increase turnout for civic election

The City of Regina is hoping to increase voter turnout for this fall’s municipal election by making the process as “easy as possible.”

“The increase in voters is going to be a result of our communication efforts,” city clerk and returning officer for the 2024 election Jim Nicol told reporters Thursday.

In the 2020 municipal election, just over 41,000 of the 195,374 eligible voters exercised their right to cast a ballot.

“People should be paying attention,” Nicol said. “Everybody’s a taxpayer. Everybody benefits from the services [the city] has.”

“If you want to be apart of or influence those decisions, you have to vote,” he added.

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For the first time, Elections Regina has entered into a data-sharing agreement with Elections Saskatchewan and will be using a registered voters list.

Voters are encouraged to update their information online and can also provide an email address to receive individual voting details electronically.

“Our role and responsibility is to remove barriers so people can vote,” Nicol said. “This is a means to provide people a one-stop-shop.”

Registering in advance can make the process faster, however all voters will be able to register on location at the polls if they wish. If a resident has recently moved or turned 18, their voting information will need to be updated.

Regina citizens will head to the polls on Nov. 13 for the Municipal/School Board Election this fall. Citizens will vote for a mayor, city councillor and school board trustees.

Eligible voters must:

• Be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years of age on the day of the election
• Have lived in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months
• Have lived in Regina, or owned land within Regina, for at least three consecutive months

The city is also looking for poll workers to assist voters at advance, special, mobile and regular polling stations throughout November’s election season.

Nicol said just under 600 people worked polls in 2020.

“We encourage people to apply and see what it’s all about,” he added.

Regina’s Election Day is Nov. 13, 2024.

Advance polls will be open from Nov. 1 – 4.

Mail-in ballots are also available.

Register to vote here.