With the provincial election approaching, Elections Saskatchewan is still on the lookout for people available to help the democratic process, this coming spring. Tim Kydd, a spokesperson with Elections Saskatchewan, said that each constituency needs between 150 to 175 people to work the election. With 61 constituencies in Saskatchewan, that leads to the need for approximately 10,000 workers for the upcoming election, province-wide.
“That’s just on April 4th, election day,” Kydd noted. “We also need people to work the advance voting days, which go five days, from March 29 to April 2. We’ll also need a few people to work in each of the returning offices for the month of March.”
Elections Saskatchewan is already covering ground in Estevan, recruiting workers for the upcoming election. Kydd said about 100 people have already signed up to work in Estevan and the Estevan area. When asked how different parts of Saskatchewan stack up to one another in terms of interest in election work, Kydd said there’s no hard and fast answer. Plenty of support is found in certain communities, while it can be relatively scarce in others.
“It’s interesting that even in big cities we have some communities that have a long list and some where it isn’t as long,” said Kydd. “The situation in bigger cities, like Regina and Saskatoon, is similar to Estevan and areas around it. There are certain pockets where you have a lot of interest, and you see some other areas, around those pockets, where the numbers are down.”
This year, Elections Saskatchewan is rolling out a new strategy to create interest in working the election and putting the money it pays workers toward a good cause, by reaching out to charities, community service groups and organizations. Elections Saskatchewan has started a program by which the money workers make during the election can be donated fully, or in part, to a charity.
“We know what a challenge it is that service groups face, fundraising these days,” said Kydd. “So, with this idea, a member of your association or group can work the election and then donate. You can make a pretty significant contribution when you get a good number of people donating.”
Kydd said the idea is new, “but that donating to a charity isn’t,” adding that out of the 10,000 people who work during elections, hundreds are members of service clubs, faith organizations or other similar entities.
Elections Saskatchewan is looking for information officers who greet voters and ensure they’re carrying identification, registration table attendants, and deputy returning officers and poll clerks. The latter two work together throughout the day, crossing names off the list when they hand out ballots and ensuring that ballots are put in the ballot box.
“It’s a chance to double the difference you’re making in your community,” said Kydd. “You can give a day for democracy and work for the election, and you can support your favourite charity or cause by donating.”
Donating is optional, and so far, the public response to the new strategy has been positive, Kydd said. He noted that every group Elections Saskatchewan has spoken to about the plan has seen the opportunity in optional donations.
All election worker positions are paid, with pay rates set by legislation. Depending on the position, it can have an hourly or flat rate. Workers must also attend a training session prior to the election, in the week or two before the election begins.
To sign up for work or for more information on how to get involved with the upcoming provincial election, consult Elections Saskatchwan’s website.
