July 10, 2020 – Saskatchewan’s Chief Electoral Officer announced today that the second meeting of the Electoral Advisory Group took place earlier this week.
The advisory group offers the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) an opportunity to receive public health advice from the Chief Medical Health Officer on the viability of conducting a provincial general election on October 26, given the likely presence of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). It also affords Government and Opposition House Leaders an opportunity to hear this advice and provide further comments. The group’s first meeting was held the week of June 1 – a news release issued after that meeting can be found here.
“This second meeting built on the first in terms of understanding the COVID-19 situation in Saskatchewan and how it could affect our scheduled election,” said Dr. Michael Boda, Chief Electoral Officer of Saskatchewan. “I am pleased with the progress we are making, and I believe that I will be in position to make a recommendation on the viability of an October 26 election to the Lieutenant Governor in Council by early to mid-September.”
The group is not a decision-making body, but one mechanism that will inform the public recommendation the Chief Electoral Officer has committed to provide in September on the viability of calling the election for the time set in legislation. The recommendation will be based on public health advice received from the Chief Medical Health Officer and further informed by feedback from key stakeholders, including voters, political party participants, and the more than 12,000 election officials required to conduct a general election.
The Electoral Advisory Group consists of:
The group’s next meeting is scheduled to take place in August.
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