Council to tell Moe about 2020 poll plan opposition

Saskatoon city council is opposed to a plan to hold the 2020 provincial and municipal election two weeks apart.

Council voted Monday to send a message to Premier Scott Moe that expresses opposition to the province’s plan to hold the provincial election on Oct. 26, 2020 and the municipal elections on Nov. 9.

The new dates represent the Saskatchewan Party government’s solution to a conflict created when the scheduled November 2015 provincial election was bumped to April 2016 to avoid a conflict with the 2015 federal election.

Under Saskatchewan’s current fixed election law, the rescheduled 2015 election also resets the next provincial election to the first Monday in November, which would have been five days after the 2020 municipal and school board elections in Saskatchewan.

“I have every confidence we’ll get through it,” Coun. Zach Jeffries said at Monday’s meeting of city council’s governance and priorities committee.

Council voted 8-3 to send the message of opposition to Moe. Jeffries, Coun. Troy Davies and Coun. Randy Donauer voted against it.

Jeffries noted the 2003 provincial and municipal elections in Saskatchewan were held two weeks apart and in 1991 the two elections were held just two days apart.

City clerk Joanne Sproule said the difference today lies in the growing number of people who vote in advance polls. Sproule presented a report that pointed out two votes so close together would create a strain on resources like temporary workers and facilities for advance polls. “There’s potential confusion with the dates, the locations and the times,” Sproule told the committee. “The advance polls are becoming very popular. Actually, the numbers are doubling every time.”

Coun. Hilary Gough wondered whether scheduling two elections so close together represents “best practice.” The government’s proposed election dates are expected to be considered by a provincial committee that includes both Sask. Party and NDP Oppositions MLAS.

Traditionally, municipal elections have been held in the fall, while provincial election dates have varied. The Moe government proposed adding an extra year to the term for municipal politicians, but that was widely rejected.