Municipalities across Saskatchewan will be headed to the polls this fall to elect mayors, councilors, and school board trustees for a four year term. In Regina, the official call for nominations will open on September 25th and run until October 9th even though many have already announced their candidacy for the various elected positions.
“For people who are wanting to make a difference and to be part of moving things forward, this is their opportunity to do so at the local level,” stated Jim Nicol, Returning Officer for this year’s civic elections in Regina.
There are several responsibilities that fall on to the plate of municipal government, particularly decisions made on water and sewer infrastructure, road building and road maintenance, policing, garbage and recycling collection, and more. It’s a very important level of government but it’s not always easy.
“It does take a significant amount of time and commitment on anyone’s part who’s running for public office,” explained Nicol. “It’s not always glamourous. There’s lots of behind the scenes work, there’s lots of meetings, and there’s lots of material to absorb.”
Those who are interested in running for council or mayor will have to meet certain requirements, the first of which is being 18 years of age or older.
“You have to be a Canadian citizen, you must have resided in Regina for at least three consecutive months, and to have lived in Saskatchewan for six months,” Nicol said.
The requirements are nearly the same for those wanting to run for a school board position, but Nicol reminds people to stipulate which school board or school division they support.
The City of Regina will be holding a candidate information night tonight (Sept 19th, 2024) for those who want to learn more about the process of running for public office. Officials from Elections Regina, Returning Officer Jim Nicol, a former city councilor, and former school board trustees will be in attendance to talk about their experiences in office and to answer any questions about the processes, procedures, and commitments associated with local government.
Election day in Regina is November 13th with polls open from 9am to 8pm.
