Voters

First Time Voters

Common Questions and Concerns Amongst First-Time Voters

Am I eligible to vote?

You can vote in a Saskatchewan provincial election if:

You are a Canadian citizen on Election Day;
You will be at least 18 years of age on Election Day; and
On the day the writ is issued:

You have ordinarily resided in Saskatchewan for at least six months immediately preceding that day; and
You were ordinarily resident in the constituency in which you seek to vote.

If You are a British subject who was qualified as a voter on June 23, 1971; and
Meet the residency requirements stated above.

This whole process seems a little intimidating – I’ve never voted before and I don’t know what half of these terms mean.

Elections have a language of their own. If you’ve never voted before, chances are you have no idea what an enumerator does. If you’d like to find out, click here to see a glossary of Elections-related terms.

I haven’t voted before and I don’t think I’m registered to vote?

Beginning Thursday, September 8, 2011 until Monday, September 26, 2011, enumerators will be going door-to-door collecting the names of eligible voters in order to compile an official Voters’ List. Once your name is on the list, you are registered to vote. However, if you aren’t around when the enumerators come to your door, you can still call the Returning Office in your constituency and find out how to get your name on the Voters' List. Use our constituency locator to find your constituency and then click here to find your Returning Officer or contact Elections Saskatchewan at 1-877-958-8683.

Where do I vote?

Most people vote in the constituency in which they usually live. Individuals who live away from home – like students for example, have the choice of voting where they usually live or voting in the constituency in which they live while at school. You can choose whichever of the two locations will be most convenient on Election Day. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Elections Saskatchewan or your local Returning Office.

I know I’m not on the Voters' List – can I still vote?

If your name isn’t on the Voters' List you are still eligible to vote. Simply come to the poll on Election Day with I.D. that displays your photo, name, address, and signature (a driver’s license works well). Acceptable identification includes an original piece of ID showing the voter’s photograph, name and physical address (rather than a post office box number), as long as that ID is issued by the Government of Saskatchewan, the Government of Canada or an agency of one of those Governments.

If you do not have such identification, or that identification does not adequately reflect your residence, you must show two other pieces of documentation confirming your name and address (utility bill, bank statement, etc.).

If you can’t find appropriate I.D., you can still vote by bringing someone who can vouch for your identity. An eligable voter who has authorized I.D. and knows you well enough to vouch for your identity and address can come with you to the poll and vouch for your identity and address. Both of you will take an oath and then you will be given a ballot and allowed to vote.

I want to vote but I know I won’t be able to on November 7^th – what do I do?

You have 2 options:

You can come to an Advance Poll. Your Returning Officer will advertise all Advance Polls in your constituency.
If you still can’t find a time to come vote, you can vote by absentee ballot. You will need to fill out a request for an absentee ballot and send it in to the Returning Office. Once your ballot arrives, you need to fill it out and get it in the mail by 8:00 pm on Election Night.

Absentee Ballot Application Form

I don’t feel informed enough to vote. I really don’t have a position on ‘the issues’.

Informed or not – everyone is impacted by the results of elections. Consider the issues important to you – childcare, jobs, education, economic development, taxes, natural resources.... Take a moment and read up on Saskatchewan’s registered political parties. The following is a list of Saskatchewan’s registered political parties: