August 18, 2015
Table of Contents
Elections Canada is working hard to prepare for the federal election on October 19, 2015. We ask that you hold off on confirming returning office locations, poll site locations, and contacting potential election workers until after Labour Day in order to avoid any potential confusion with the work being completed by the federal Returning Officers (RO). This will give federal ROs time to confirm their own returning office and poll site locations, and hire their own election workers. You may, however, confirm these dates with anyone who contacts you.
If the requested returning office location in your constituency met the requirements established in the pre-writ assignment you will receive a confirmation email from head office. Those who do not receive a confirmation email will be contacted in early September to schedule a conference call to discuss all available options. The conference call will include the RO, their Supervisory Returning Officer (SRO), and a head office staff member.
Head office staff are building a communication strategy to contact school divisions, health regions, First Nations, and other key stakeholders regarding the new election date. If you have any questions, please contact your SRO.
APRIL GENERAL ELECTION AVAILABILITY
Saskatchewan’s general election has been delayed until April 4, 2016. We recognize that this date change may conflict with some the FLT member’s winter plans. At this time we want to confirm your availability for the Election Event Training in February 2016 and the preparation activities that will follow in the months leading up to the general election.
As a reminder, our upcoming training events have been rescheduled for February 1, 2 and 3, 2016 in Saskatoon, and February 8, 9 and 10, 2016 in Regina. These training events represent the beginning of a busy season for ESK. We will be engaged in ongoing enumeration activities, in opening and setting up returning offices, and other activities in preparation for the general election. The provincial writs of election will be issued no later than March 8, 2016, following which we will be actively engaged in delivering Saskatchewan’s 28th General Election.
These next months will be busy for the entire team. Please get in touch with your SRO as soon as possible to confirm your availability. You’ve all been working hard to prepare for the November 2, 2015 election date, and we look forward to working with you further as we transition to the new April 4, 2016 date.
Roughly 10,000 people will be needed to work across Saskatchewan during the coming general election. Recruiting these workers is a challenge. Take Part is ESK’s innovative approach to addressing this challenge.
Through the use of social media, mailed cards and ESK’s website, Take Part seeks to encourage Saskatchewan voters to become more engaged in the democratic process by giving a day to work in the general election. Saskatchewan residents can express their interest by going to the Take Part page on ESK’s website and signing up. Their name will be added to a database of potential workers, which is then sorted by constituency and forwarded to ROs.
Below you’ll find an image of a Take Part card. We sent a letter with 5 of these cards to 2011 election workers. Each FLT member should have received 50 of these cards at the training event in April. Please send a request to [email protected] if you need more of these cards.
Over 3000 Saskatchewan residents have already expressed their interest in working the April 4, 2016 election. It’s exciting to see so many individuals put their names forward so far in advance of the election.
ESK will continue to reach out to Saskatchewan residents through Take Part. Our communications team has also begun to roll out a new email newsletter called Xpress, which is designed to keep Take Part registrants informed and engaged. Xpress will be sent to Take Part registrants once every six weeks or so.
Recruitment of election workers is ultimately the RO’s responsibility. Although no formal employment offers can be made until we enter the writ period, after Labour Day FLT members can resume sending any potential workers to the Take Part page on ESK’s website so that they may express their interest in working the election.
If you have any further questions regarding Take Part, please contact Tim Kydd by calling (306) 787-7355, or by email at [email protected].