October 27, 2020. A total of 385,461 ballots from advance voting polls, election day polls, and personal care facility polls were counted on election night as part of the First Preliminary Count. This represents a turnout of nearly 47 per cent so far of the estimated 841,807 eligible voters in Saskatchewan, with many ballots still left to count.
“The First Preliminary Count, completed last night once the polls closed, gave us the majority of votes cast in this provincial election, but not all of them,” says Dr. Michael Boda, Chief Electoral Officer of Saskatchewan. “Today, we are communicating how the remaining ballots, including a significant number of vote by mail ballots, will be counted. The process will involve two steps, beginning with the Second Preliminary Count, starting Wednesday, October 28 at 9 a.m. and concluding with the Final Count to begin on November 7.”
The Second Preliminary Count begins with counting the 40,214 vote by mail ballots that were returned and accepted by 8 p.m. on Monday, October 26. A total of 61,255 vote by mail packages were mailed out. The deadline for Elections Saskatchewan to receive all vote by mail ballots is Noon on November 5.
A new table is now on our website that breaks down, by constituency, the vote margins so far, total vote by mail packages mailed and vote by mail ballots returned and accepted so far.
“We know the importance of completing the count for all 61 constituencies, but we are very much aware of the races where the margin of votes currently is less than the total number of vote by mail ballots still to count. These races will be our focus starting on Wednesday as we know the candidates in these constituencies are anxiously awaiting the final results,” says Dr. Boda.
Media Briefing #4
A media briefing will be held today to answer questions about the Second Preliminary Count that begins tomorrow. An email invitation is being sent to media.
Vote by mail counting photo opportunity
Media are invited for a short photo and video opportunity on the first day of the Second Preliminary Count. Dr. Boda will be available at this time for interviews.
1:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 28
Second level lobby, Delta Hotels Regina
1919 Saskatchewan Drive, Regina
Media updates of the vote by mail counting will be provided at 1 p.m. and after 5 p.m. each day (once the day’s counting is complete) this week starting on October 28.
The Final Count on November 7 will include vote by mail ballots received after October 26 plus in-person ballots cast at returning offices, hospital, remand and temporarily displaced voter ballots, and extraordinary voting ballots. Vote by mail ballots returned after the deadline of Noon on November 5 will not be counted.
Elections Saskatchewan (ESK) is the province’s nonpartisan election management body and an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. ESK directs and supervises the administration of provincial electoral events, including the 2020 provincial election.
Information for voters, workers, media, candidates and parties at www.elections.sk.ca.
For more information contact:
Tim Kydd
Senior Director, Outreach & Communications
Elections Saskatchewan
306.537.9211
tim.kydd@elections.sk.ca