It is four more years for Premier Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party.
Polls closed across Saskatchewan in the provincial election at 8 p.m. Monday and news organizations were quick to project a Saskatchewan Party majority government.
The final seat totals have the Sask.. Party at 51 seats and the NDP 10. In the popular vote the Sask. Party had a commanding 62.63 per cent of the popular vote to 30.36 per cent for the NDP.
The Liberals came in with 3.61 per cent, the Green Party 1.85 per cent and the Progressive Conservatives 1.29 per cent.
For the Sask. Party it was a historic night. It marks a third straight majority government, following on wins in the 2007 and 2011 elections.
Brad Wall becomes the first Saskatchewan premier since Allan Blakeney to win three consecutive majority governments – a feat not even Roy Romanow was able to accomplish when the NDP were reduced to a minority in the 1999 election.
This is also the first time a party not representing the CCF or New Democrats has won three elections in a row since the Liberals accomplished that feat early in the 20th century. Saskatchewan’s first premier, Walter Scott, led the Liberals to three election wins in 1905, 1908 and 1912, and after he left office in 1916 the Liberals remained in power until 1929, when the Conservatives formed a coalition government following that election.
For the NDP and their leader Cam Broten, this 2016 election marks a historic defeat – the first time since Tommy Douglas’s historic 1944 win that the party has lost three consecutive elections.
Broten himself was narrowly defeated in Saskatoon Westview where he was seeking re-election. The defeat throws into question Broten’s leadership of the party. In a statement released Tuesday, Broten said he would take time to “consider how we move forward.”
Premier Wall was in Swift Current where he won easy personal re-election with 82 per cent of the vote.
Polls were open Monday across Saskatchewan and advance polls had also been open across the province prior to that. Elections Saskatchewan reported Monday that 110,716 ballots were cast during the five days of advance polls, representing a turnout increase of 66 per cent from 2011.
Overall 426,706 votes were cast representing voter turnout of 56.83 per cent.
It turned out to be a great night for the Saskatchewan Party throughout the Northwest region.
Environment Minister Herb Cox was an easy winner in the Battlefords over Rob Feist of the NDP and Dexter Gopher of the Liberals. Meanwhile, Larry Doke ran away with Cut Knife-Turtleford and Scott Moe was the winner in Rosthern-Shellbrook. Randy Weekes also won an easy victory in Biggar-Saskatchewan Valley for the Sask. Party.
Up to date results from these ridings and others across the province can be found at http://results.elections.sk.ca/.
