Elections

Elections

A nomination period is held prior to an election. The returning officer publishes the “Call for Nominations” in late August. The deadline for receiving nominations is 4:00 p.m. on nomination day (the fifth Wednesday before election day). The period to withdraw nominations is 24 hours after the close of the nominations. The general election, if required, is held on the fifth Wednesday after nomination day. Contact our office for specific dates concerning the election process. 

The SARM website now has an election reporting tool designed to be used by R.M.s, the public and the media. You can view candidates prior to the election and see real-time reporting on election night. Visit the SARM website @ www.sarm.ca and click on the side link or the direct link is elections.sarm.ca. 

Who Is Eligible to Vote in a Rural Municipality?

In a Rural Municipality, to be eligible to vote in a municipal election a voter must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a Canadian Citizen
• Meet One of the Following Criteria:
• A resident of the the Rural Municipality you are voting in for at least three consecutive months immediately preceding the day of election.

If you are not a resident within the RM, you are eligible to vote if you are:

• The registered owner (or purchaser under a bona fide agreement for sale) of land within the rural municipality;
• Assessed with respect to land in the rural municipality under a lease, license, permit, or contract in agreement with the registered owner;
• Assessed with respect to an improvement within the rural municipality;
• A spouse of a person mentioned in any of the above;
• The Chief Executive Officer of a duly incorporated corporation, co-operative, or religious association that is assessed property in the municipality.

When Voting for Division Councillors, residents of the RM vote in the Division in which they reside, regardless of how many divisions they own land in. If you own assessed property in more than one Division, but do not live within the RM, you are eligible to vote in the division where you have the highest total of assessed land. Voters may only vote once in a municipality, but a person who is eligible to vote in more than one municipality may do so. (Landowners who own land in a personal name as well as corporation name can only vote once). Please contact the municipal office with any questions regarding voter eligibility

Voter ID 

Running as a Candidate/Candidate Eligibility

A person is eligible to be nominated as a candidate in a municipal election and to hold office as a member of council if the person:

• is at least 18 years old on the day of the election;
• is a Canadian citizen at the time that he or she submits the nomination paper;
• has resided in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the date on which he or she submitted the nomination paper;
• is not disqualified pursuant to The Local Government Election Act, 2015 or any other Act; and
• is eligible to vote in the rural municipality.

A person cannot be nominated or elected as a Councillor for more than one Division or a Councillor of a Division and Reeve.

To be nominated, a candidate must submit a completed Nomination Form along with a completed Public Disclosure Statement to a nomination officer at the R.M. Office.

Nomination forms must be signed by two eligible voters of the Division in which the Candidate is seeking nomination. The candidate’s nomination paper must be duly completed, signed and witnessed prior to submission and must accompany the candidate’s signed acceptance along with a signed Public Disclosure Statement.

What you need to know about running for Municipal Council