The people have spoken. It’s a majority government. The Saskatchewan Party has been elected to form government for the fifth consecutive time, winning 35 seats to the NDP’s 26, pending any changes after the mail-in ballots and others in the second and final counts in the close races. Premier Scott Moe told supporters at party headquarters in Shellbrook that it has only happened three times in this province and the last time was 1960. Prior to the election the NDP had 14 seats while the Saskatchewan Party had 42. There were four Independents and one seat was vacant.
The NDP won all of the seats in Regina and 12 of Saskatoon’s 14 seats, with Sask Party incumbent Ken Chevelday off winning in Saskatoon-Willowgrove. Running through the list: the following MLA’s were re-elected: Erika Ritchie (Saskatoon-Nutana), Vicki Mowatt (Saskatoon-Fairview), Betty Nippi-Albright (Saskatoon Centre), Nathaniel Teed (Saskatoon Meewasin), and Matt Love (Saskatoon Eastview).
First-time NDP MLA’s are Kim Breckner (Saskatoon Riversdale), Keith Jorgenson (Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood), Darcy Warrington (Saskatoon Stonebridge), Hugh Gordon (Saskatoon Silverspring, Don McBean (Saskatoon Chief-Mistawasis, Tajinder Grewal (Saskatoon University-Sutherland) and Brittney Senger (Saskatoon-Southeast) Saskatoon-Westview is too close to call with only a 31 vote difference between SaskParty incumbent David Buckingham and the NDP’s April Chiefcalf. Three incumbent SaskParty MLA’s were defeated Bronwyn Eyre (Saskatoon Stonebridge), Paul Merriman (Saskatoon Silverspring) and Lisa Lambert (Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood)
Winners in the Saskatoon region were all from the SaskParty including incumbent Terry Jenson in Warman, Jamie Martens in Martensville/Blairmore, Jim Reiter (Rosetown-Delisle) and Kim Gartner (Kindersley-Biggar) Five SaskParty cabinet ministers went down to defeat last night – two in Saskatoon and three in Regina. Former Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre lost Saskatoon-Stonebridge while the former Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Paul Merriman finished second in Saskatoon-Silverspring. In Regina, former social services minister Gene Makowsky, Environment Minister Christine Tell as well as Parks, Culture and Recreation Minister Laura Ross were all defeated.
One of the Independents, former Sask Party MLA Nadine Wilson, ran as a Saskatchewan United Party candidate in Saskatchewan Rivers, but she lost to the Sask Party’s candidate, Eric Schmaltz. The Leader of the Sask United Party, John Hromek ran in Lumsden Morse but lost to the Sask Party’s Blaine McLeod. It wasn’t a good night for the Saskatchewan United Party, with only a small percentage of the vote and no showings of note in any of the ridings.
Along with the Saskatoon-Westview riding, another that is too close to call is Prince Albert Northcote. The Sask Party’s Alana Ross received 2,745 votes while the NDP candidate Nicole Rancourt had 2,620.
Premier Scott Moe told supporters at his election night headquarters in Shellbrook just after midnight that this election was much closer than it has been in quite some time in the province. Just over half of voted for the Saskatchewan Party. He said, “And I would say this, that I have heard the message that was delivered here this evening, and the Saskatchewan Party will be a government that works for all the people of Saskatchewan. Now some may allude to tonight’s results that it means we are divided in this province, and I would disagree with that.” He explained that everyone who voted did so because they want what is best for the province, and in that Saskatchewan residents are united. Moe added that with fewer seats this time around, his party has received the message, and he promises they will do better. From the election results, Moe says his party has heard the message and they will do better.
NDP Leader Carla Beck says although they didn’t finish first, they did change the political landscape. “To all those who believed, who supported us, I know you are feeling disappointed. I’m not going to lie. I’m a bit disappointed. I know this isn’t the result we had hoped for, but let me tell you, tonight is not the end.” She suggests the close result is a message that the people of Saskatchewan want and deserve a government that puts them first and Beck states her party won’t stop until that vision is a reality.
