Sask. Party wins three byelections handily in strongholds

The Saskatchewan Party easily kept its seats in byelections held in three of the party ’s strongholds.

The governing party increased its share of the vote in both Kindersley and Melfort, but the NDP made some gains in former premier Brad Wall’s Swift Current riding.

Byelections were held Thursday in the three ridings following the resignations of Wall and Kindersley MLA Bill Boyd, and the unexpected death of Melfort MLA Kevin Phillips.

In Kindersley, Ken Francis won handily for the Sask. Party with 88 per cent of the vote, up from the 68 per cent share Boyd managed in the 2016 general election. Boyd resigned last summer amid a conflict of interest scandal. Travis Hebert took 10 per cent of the vote for the NDP.

In Melfort, Sask. Party candidate Todd Goudy won with 79 per cent of the vote, a small bump from the 77 per cent share Phillips had in the last general election. NDP candidate Lorne Schroeder had 19 per cent support.

In Swift Current, Everett Hindley had the support of 73 per cent of voters, compared to Wall’s last win in 2016 with 82 per cent. NDP candidate Stefan Rumpel won 24 per cent of the vote.

The Saskatchewan Green Party ran candidates in all three ridings, winning between one and two per cent of the vote. The Saskatchewan Liberal Party only had a candidate in the Swift Current riding, taking one per cent of the vote.

The results of Thursday night’s byelections are considered preliminary. Two additional ballot boxes, with absentee votes and hospital/remand votes, will be added to the final count in each riding on March 13.