Why should I vote in a municipal election?
Your vote in a municipal election will impact the quality of life in your community. Municipal councils make decisions about things that are crucial elements of daily life, including:
- sports, recreation, cultural and library services
- police and fire services
- water and sewer services
- snow and garbage removal
- roads and bridges
Your vote will impact the current and future sustainability of your community. Your vote is your opportunity to send a message on how you want your community governed. The more votes cast, the more powerful the message. Every vote counts.Your vote is your voice. Don’t let others speak for you.
Who can vote?
To vote in a Saskatchewan urban municipal (city, town or village) election, you must
- be a Canadian citizen on the day of the election, and
- be age 18 years or older, and
- have resided in Saskatchewan for at least six months, and
- on the day of the election, in the case of a municipality other than a Resort Village, you must be a resident of the municipality for at least three months, or
- the owner of assessable land situated in the municipality for at least three months
In the case of a Resort Village, you
- have resided in the Resort Village for at least three months, or
- are the owner of assessable land situated in the municipality for at least three months, or
- are the lessee of land in the Resort Village for at least three months, or
- are the spouse of a person who has resided in, owns assessable land in, or is the lessee of land in the Resort Village for at least three months
In the case of a Rural Municipality (RM), you
- are at least 18 years of age and a Canadian citizen on the day of the election, and
- immediately preceding the day of the election you have resided in the RM for at least three months, or
- are the registered owner of taxable land in the RM or the purchaser of land in the RM under a bona fide agreement for sale, or
- are assessed as an occupant of any land in the RM that is exempt from taxation, or
- are assessed with respect to an improvement in the RM, or
- are licensed with respect to property in the RM that is used for business purposes, or
- are licensed in the RM with respect to a trailer or mobile home, or
- are the spouse of a person noted above (not including first sub-bullet) if you reside with that person in Saskatchewan but outside the RM, or
- are a Saskatchewan resident who is the chief executive officer of a co-operative, corporation or religious association that is
- assessed with respect to taxable property on the last assessment roll in the RM, or
- licensed with respect to a home-based business
What to Look for in a Candidate - A Voter's Guide
As a voter, you may or may not know which candidate(s) to vote for. Depending on the issues facing your municipality, you may want to attend a ‘meet the candidate' session or attend a candidates' forum to see where candidates stand on a particular issue.
Below is the Candidates Scorecard to assist voters when evaluating candidates on some general areas of interest.
The Local Government Election Act (LGEA) regulates elections in municipalities and school divisions. Please refer to the LGEA for further information.
