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Timing of the next Municipal/School Board Elections

Date September 15, 2021

To City Council

From City Manager's Office

Service Area Office of the City Clerk

Item No. CM21-17

RECOMMENDATION

That City Council:

1. Convey its position on the recommendation from the Chief Electoral Officer, Province of
Saskatchewan to conduct the next municipal elections in May 2024 and every four years
thereafter as outlined in the Options section of this report.

2. Direct the Mayor to write to the Minister of Government Relations conveying Council’s position
on this matter.

ISSUE

Saskatchewan’s provincial and municipal elections were held two weeks apart in the fall of 2020
(October 26th and November 9th, respectively. In light of the overlap in election periods last year,
and prescribed in law to occur every four years thereafter, the Chief Electoral Officer has
recommended that municipal/school board elections be moved ahead by six months to May 2024
and every four years thereafter.

At a recent meeting of the City Mayors/City Managers’ Caucus, members were asked to gauge the
support of their respective Councils respecting the recommendation from the Chief Electoral Officer.

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IMPACTS

Strategic Impacts
Changing the election date and holding it six months earlier or later than the currently legislated
November date would eliminate many of the challenges faced in holding the election in close
proximity to the provincial election, such as worker recruitment, voter fatigue and voter confusion.

Financial Impacts
Changing the election date is likely to have minimal incremental impact on the cost of running the
election, as the change in timing does not eliminate the legal requirement to conduct the election.
However, there may be a reduction in communication related expenses as there may be less need
to address voter confusion between the provincial and municipal elections.

Other Implications
There are no accessibility, environmental or legal/risk impacts arising from this report.

OTHER OPTIONS

There are three options from which Council is requested to make its position known:

Option #1

Concur with the Chief Electoral Officer’s recommendation to move the election ahead by six months
from November 2024 to May 2024, with subsequent elections held every four years thereafter;

Option #2

Request that the election be deferred by six months from November 2024 to May 2025, with
subsequent elections held every four years thereafter; or

Option #3

Retain the originally scheduled election date of November 2024, with subsequent elections held
every four years thereafter.

COMMUNICATIONS

Once considered by Council, a letter will be sent from Mayor Masters on behalf of City Council to the
Minister of Government Relations conveying the City’s position on this matter.

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DISCUSSION

The currently legislated schedule for provincial and municipal elections will continue to overlap in the
fall of 2024 and subsequently every four years. The next provincial election is slated to be held on
October 28, 2024 and the municipal/school board elections are scheduled on November 13, 2024.

Legislation is in place to ensure that federal and provincial elections do not overlap in such a short
timeframe. There is no current legislative provision to eliminate this overlap between provincial and
municipal/school board elections.

Surveys conducted by Elections Saskatchewan in the fall of 2020 found that nearly 55% of voters
stated that there should be more time between two election dates, preferably a calendar season
whereby one election is held in the spring while the other is held in the fall. In addition, 21% of
voters surveyed said they were confused between provincial and municipal candidates while a
similar percentage said that they were confused as to whether issues being discussed were relevant
at the local or provincial level.

Feedback received by Elections Regina shared similar concerns. In addition, staff received
numerous inquiries respecting voter registration, advance polling dates and mail-in ballot
requirements respecting the provincial election. Having two elections held so closely together can
also lead to challenges in recruiting election workers and securing appropriate polling locations and
other campaign resources. The communications budget was increased significantly in an attempt to
alleviate confusion.

One other element that can negatively impact Election Day is the weather. November 9 th last year
saw much of Saskatchewan hit by a major snowstorm. While Regina escaped the worst part of the
storm, other jurisdictions like Swift Current and Saskatoon were hit hard, resulting in the
postponement of their election by a few days. While it is out of our control, the negative impact it
can have on voter turnout is considerable.

The Chief Electoral Officer has discussed this matter with the City Clerk and members of the
Saskatchewan Association of City Clerks (SACC). The position taken by the City Clerk, as well as
that of SACC, is that this is a political issue for elected members to determine while reinforcing that
all measures will be taken to conduct efficient elections regardless of the date ultimately selected.

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DECISION HISTORY

The recommendation in this report require City Council approval.

Respectfully submitted,

Prepared by: Jim Nicol, City Clerk

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