Saskatoon’s returning officer says there will be at least two additional voting locations on Friday when the municipal election resumes.
Scott Bastian said he continues to pursue other options after announcing a polling location at Prairieland Park and another one at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Silverspring.
“Our goal through the election planning process is to provide citizens with access to a ballot — that they have a way to vote,” Bastian said.
“Access to the ability to vote in this election has been solidly supported through additional advance poll locations, a heavily used mail-in ballot program, and 65 polling locations on election day which despite the inclement weather were surprisingly steady.”
Many streets in Saskatoon where left impassible on Nov. 9 — the original election day — after a severe winter storm dumped 30 to 40 centimetres of snow on the city.
The Saskatchewan government issued a ministerial order Monday morning allowing municipalities to postpone its elections due to the weather.
Bastian announced late Monday the polls would close 90 minutes early after consulting with the minister of government relations office.
“Frustrating as it was for everyone, my decision was delayed to late Monday because I needed to make sure that the plan for Friday to condense polls complied with the minister’s order and that all the pieces were organized,” Bastian said.
“In order to comply with ministerial order polls had to close early. Had polls closed at 8 p.m. on Nov. 9, the election would have concluded that night.”
FULL COVERAGE: Saskatoon municipal election
There will be five other polling locations on Friday when they open at 9 a.m.: Cosmo Civic Centre, Lawson Civic Centre, Lakewood Civic Centre, Shaw Centre and city hall.
Voters are able to cast a ballot at any location much like at an advanced poll, Bastian said.
Mail-in ballots will be received by the election officials until 8 p.m. Friday at city hall, the election office or any polling station.
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