Saskatchewan heads to the polls for municipal elections
It is election day in Saskatchewan — again.
This time, residents across the province are heading to the polls to cast ballots for mayors, reeves, councillors and school board trustees.
In Saskatoon, polls will open Wednesday at 8 a.m. CST and close at 8 p.m. CST.
In Regina, polls will open at 9 a.m. CST and close at 8 p.m. CST.
CBC News will have in-depth coverage throughout the day. Once polls close at 8 p.m. CST, Ethan Williams in Regina and Stephanie Massicotte in Saskatoon will host a live election special.
Regina's civic election has focused on municipal spending and plans to replace aging civic assets such as the Lawson Pool and the central branch of the Regina Public Library.
There is no shortage of candidates in the Queen City, with 11 people running for mayor.
WATCH | Regina mayoral candidates tell us their No. 1 issue:
The crowded field includes incumbent Mayor Sandra Masters, councillor Lori Bresciani, non-profit executive Bill Pratt and mechanical engineer Chad Bachynski, among others.
There is also dramatic turnover ahead at council, with six councillors choosing to not seek re-election. That means that no matter the results Wednesday, there will be at least six new councillors at Henry Baker Hall.
Fifty-three people have thrown their hats into the ring for the 10 councillor positions.
WATCH | Saskatoon mayoral hopefuls pitch themselves at debate:
The municipal election in Saskatoon, meanwhile, has focused on community safety and plans to revitalize the downtown core.
As with many cities across Canada, Saskatoon has experienced a rise in homelessness and the location of a shelter in the city's Fairhaven neighbourhood has been a point of contention.
With incumbent Mayor Charlie Clark not seeking re-election, Saskatoon voters have a field of five candidates to choose from: Don Atchison, Cynthia Block, Mike Harder, Cary Tarasoff and Gordon Wyant. In total, 45 candidates are vying for 11 seats on city council in Saskatoon.
Both cities are hoping to see higher voter turnout than what was reported during the past two election cycles.
Regina has not had voter turnout above 50 per cent in a general municipal election since 1988. In 2016, it was a dismal 20 per cent and in 2020 it was 21 per cent.
Saskatoon has a slightly better track record. In 2016, turnout for its municipal election was 40 per cent while in 2020 voter turnout fell to 27 per cent.
One expert believes the proximity to the provincial vote hampers turnout.