As of mid-September, ratepayers in Saskatchewan rural municipalities, including Cote, Livingston and St. Philips, have been able to submit nominations for RM reeves and councillors in odd-numbered divisions.
At the RMs of Cote, Livingston and St. Philips, nominations were open on September 17 and are to remain open to October 7. If a nominee has a change of mind, he or she has until 4 p.m. on October 8 to withdraw his or her name with no consequence.
If more than one person is nominated as reeve or as a councillor in any division, voters will go to the polls on November 9 to elect reeves and councillors for odd-numbered divisions for terms of four years.
At Cote the poll for the Division 1 councillor and the reeve will be held at the Silver Thread Community Centre in Togo, while the poll for the reeve and the councillors of the other two divisions will be at the RM office in Kamsack.
At Cote, Sherry Guenther, returning officer for the election, said she will wait until the close of nominations to set an advance poll, if balloting will be needed, while at St. Philips, Frances Olson, the returning officer, has already set the advance poll so if there is voting required, the advance poll has been set for 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Pelly Community Hall on October 31.
At Livingston, Kelly Rea, returning officer, said that the advance poll will be held on November 7 at the RM office.
Currently serving on the RM of Cote council, and whose terms of office expire in November, are Reeve Jim Tomochko, who has held that position since 2010, and councillors Ralph Hilderman (Div. 1), Craig Salahub, (Div. 3) and Kim Pennell, (Div. 5). Serving on council for another two years are councillors Vern Bowes (Div. 2), Dale Schwartz (Div. 4) and Murray Horkoff (Div. 6).
Serving at the RM of St. Philips and whose terms of office expire this year are councillors Larry Mosiuk, (Div. 3) and Bernie Mosiuk (Div. 5). Because the former reeve resigned in January, Bernie Mosiuk, has been the acting reeve, so there is no incumbent reeve. Councillors Ron Sorrell (Div. 4) and Conrad Vogel (Div. 6) were elected in 2018 and their terms are up in 2022.
At the RM of Livingston, the terms of Reeve Linda Bourque and councillors Mike Kalinowsky (Div. 1) and Judy Anderson (Div. 3) end this year. Also serving on council are councillors Ken Frampton (Div. 2) and Mark Maga (Div. 4).
At the RM of St. Philips, Olson encourages persons interested in serving on council to contact the RM office during regular business hours 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday to pick up a nomination package.
This package consists of a two-page nomination/candidate’s acceptance form as well as a two-page public disclosure form, Olson said. These two forms must be returned completed along with a current criminal record check to the R.M. office before the deadline in order for a person to be nominated; a written receipt will then be issued.
Each completed nomination form requires the name, physical address and signature of at least two electors, and the candidate’s signature, which needs to have two witnesses.
The Municipal Administration portion of the Ministry of Government Relations has significant information of interest to those considering running for council positions—as well as those who are elected. The information can be obtained at: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/municipal-administration. Those requiring additional information may contact their RM office.
While the RM of St. Philips requires nominees provide a criminal record check because the council passed a bylaw requiring it, no such criminal records check is needed at the RM of Cote nor the RM of Livingston.
After a general election, regardless if voting is needed, new members of council will take their Oaths of Office at the first meeting of council, which is called by the administrator and takes place within the first 30 days following the election date.
