SASKATOON — The race for the Westview seat becomes more exciting after the constituency tipped towards the Saskatchewan NDP after the second count by Elections Saskatchewan on Wednesday, Oct 30. It will take more than a week before the real winner is known.
The NDP’s April ChiefCalf now leads re-electionist David Buckingham of the Saskatchewan Party. If this holds, the NDP will have 27 seats against the Saskatchewan Party’s 34, making them a more vocal minority in the soon-to-be-formed government by premier-elect Scott Moe.
ChiefCalf enjoys a 37-vote lead over Buckingham with the NDP candidate, who teaches an Indigenous teacher education program at the University of Saskatchewan, collecting 3,501 votes against the 3,464 of the Sask Party member.
Buckingham, a former mayor of Borden, is seeking a third term. He was first elected in 2016 when he defeated then NDP Leader Cam Broten by 217 votes, 3,892-3,675. He won his re-election convincingly in 2020 with a 1,062 margin over the NDP’s Mark Draz (4,322-3,260).
Buckingham, who apologized for making racially inappropriate comments, led ChiefCalf after the count on Monday’s election by 31 votes, 3,362-3,331.
After the second count, the NDP’s Alana Wakula trimmed the Sask Party’s Ken Cheveldayoff lead. Cheveldayoff had 4,810 votes against the 4,632 of Wakula for a difference of 178. Cheveldayoff led by 255 votes after the election-night count with 4,525 votes against Wakula’s 4,270.
However, things might still change depending on the third and final count on Saturday, Nov 9, and the mail-in ballots received by the deadline.
The Sask Party had already lost two cabinet ministers in the previous government here in the city, Bronwyn Eyre in Stonebridge (Ministry of Justice and Attorney General) and Paul Merriman in Silversprings (Ministry of Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety).
Betty Nippi-Albright, Don McBean, Keith Jorgensen, Matt Love, Vicki Mowat, Nathaniel Teed, Erika Ritchie, Kim Breckner, Hugh Gordon, Brittney Senger, Darcy Washington, and Tajinder Grewal have already secured their seats as no significant change occurred in their ridings.
