Article content
Saskatchewan’s provincial election officially kicked off in Saskatoon on Tuesday after Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe asked Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty to dissolve the legislature and sign the writs of election.
To win a majority on Oct. 28, Moe’s Saskatchewan Party or Carla Beck’s NDP will need at least 31 seats from the province’s 61 constituencies. The campaign period, set to last 27 days, will be Moe’s second as party leader and Beck’s first.
Article content
The last election in 2020 saw Moe’s party win a resounding 48 seats to the NDP’s 13. Following subsequent byelections to fill vacancies, the balance shifted slightly as the 29th legislature ended with the following composition: 42 Sask. Party, 14 NDP, one Saskatchewan United Party (SUP), three independent and one vacant.
While polls are showing a closer race between the Sask. Party and NDP this time around, the governing party, which has been in power since 2007, seems set to form government again.
A recent Insightrix poll showed a razor-thin margin in the popular vote, with the NDP registering 48 per cent as the preferred party among those who have made up their minds — one point ahead of the Sask. Party.
But, given the break of constituencies, modelling still indicated another Sask. Party victory.
The parties have already been door-knocking and announcing policies and planks, but now the race is officially on.
There are seven registered political parties, though only the NDP, Sask. Party and SUP held seats as of the election call. The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Green Party, Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Progress Party are also vying for votes and seats in this election.
Article content
With SUP fielding 23 candidates, Moe has mentioned the possibility of vote splitting. But Conservative Leader Rose Buscholl fought against the idea, saying in early September that “it’s pretty arrogant of these parties to assume that your vote already belongs to them.”
Moe’s Saskatchewan Party is seeking a fifth straight majority after 17 years in office. Moe says he’s running on his record of growing the economy while making investments in education and health care.
NDP Leader Carla Beck says it’s time for change. She’s promising a break on the gas tax and removing the provincial sales tax on children’s clothes and some grocery items, along with more spending on health care and education.
More to come…
Share this article in your social network
