Making voting more convenient for the public is the goal of changing the upcoming municipal election date. (File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Rachel May

2024 Municipal Election

City of Melfort discusses moving the municipal election date

Oct 19, 2021 | 10:18 AM

To make voting easier for the public, the City of Melfort wants to move the municipal election date to allow for more time between provincial and municipal elections.

City Clerk, Marley Seymour, brought forth the issue to council during the Oct. 18 council meeting. With the proposed date change, there will be more time between the municipal and provincial elections. With only 16 days between the two dates, there are concerns about the impact the provincial election will have on the municipal election.

Currently, the next provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2024, and the next municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 13, 2024.

There were three possible solutions brought forth to council to the election conflict:

• The election should be held on the scheduled date;
• The election should be moved up by six months;
• The election should be pushed back six months.

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Council members remain divided over moving the election date from where it is currently scheduled.

If the proposed change is adopted, the municipal election in 2024 will be held in May rather than November.

The city’s mayor, Glenn George, said the goal of this decision is to make voting more convenient for the public.

“With regards to the election date, there is no bad decision about when it should or shouldn’t be. It’s just what is the most convenient and what would be the most effective for the public to get them out to vote,” George said.

Prior to any change in election dates, this decision must go through Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) and the provincial government.

“It’s one of those resolutions where those no right and there is no wrong and who is to say whether, when SUMA gets to the provincial government, it is going to be accepted,” George said.

To keep up with what is happening in Melfort, visit the City of Melfort Facebook page.

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Rachel.May@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RachelMayFM