Article content
Early voter turnout for the 2024 civic election appears to have been remarkably similar to advance voting totals in 2020, according to Elections Saskatoon.
During four days of advance polls, from Nov. 1 to 4, more than 19,400 voters cast their ballots at 10 polling stations in the city, Elections Saskatoon said on Tuesday.
In 2020, the city reported 19,666 total advance voters.
Article content
“Based on the number of eligible voters, this volume translates to approximately 10 per cent overall turnout,” Elections Saskatoon said in a statement.
Voters are casting ballots to determine the city’s next mayor and city councillors, as well as board trustees in the public and separate school divisions.
In 2020, overall voter turnout was 27.4 per cent, or 58,734 ballots cast. It was the lowest turnout since the 2000 election, which saw 26.4 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, though the 2020 election comes with a caveat — approximately 35 centimetres of snow blanketed Saskatoon the day before and the day of the election.
It was the largest snowfall in the city since January 2007, and led to the election being postponed for four days.
While the general advance polls are no longer set up, there remain other ways for voters to cast ballots prior to the Nov. 13 election day.
Post-secondary students, faculty and staff at the University of Saskatchewan have advance polls available on campus Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Place Riel.
At Saskatchewan Polytechnic, an advance poll will be open Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Article content
Special polls are also available at a variety of retirement and long-term care homes until Thursday.
Drive-thru voting at City Hall will also be available on Nov. 9.
Two “super poll” stations will be set up on Nov. 13 at Market Mall and City Hall, and will be open to voters from any ward.
Voting locations and other information is available online at saskatoon.ca/mypoll.
Identification is needed to vote. According to the city, acceptable ID includes one piece of government-issued photo identification, or any two pieces of ID that establish the voter’s name and at least one of which establishes the voter’s address. Any voter without these forms of ID can also have another eligible voter — a friend or family member with acceptable ID — vouch for their identity by filling out the appropriate forms.
All polls are open on Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Elections will be held for mayor; city councillor in wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; public school board trustees in wards 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9; and Catholic school board trustees.
Mayoral candidates are Don Atchison, Cynthia Block, Mike Harder, Cary Tarasoff and Gord Wyant.
Recommended from Editorial
The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.
With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Share this article in your social network
