Information for Candidates
The City of Saskatoon 2024 Municipal and School Board Election will take place on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.
For anyone interested in becoming a candidate and seeking election or re-election for mayor, city councillor, or school board trustee on November 13, 2024, Elections Saskatoon has prepared the 2024 Candidate Information Guide to help you understand the election process. The Guide provides all important dates and the steps all candidates must follow in 2024. The Province has also provided a guide
The Ministry of Government Relations has developed some resources for citizens who are thinking about running for municipal council:
- Running for Municipal Council - Guide and Poster
- Four part video series about running for Council
- Visit the Government of Saskatchewan's website for more information
Offices to be Elected
Mayor of the City of Saskatoon
One (1) to be elected at large by all voters in Saskatoon
Councillor for the City of Saskatoon
Ten (10) to be elected, one in each of the civic wards
Saskatoon Public School Board Trustee
Ten (10) to be elected, one in each of the civic wards
Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Board Trustee
Seven (7) to be elected at large by all separate school division voters to represent Saskatoon. The separate school board consists of ten trustees and one is elected by voters from each of three subdivisions: Humboldt, Biggar, and rural Saskatoon/Martensville/Warman.
Qualifications of Candidates
Qualification for Member of Council
To be eligible for nomination as a candidate for the office of Mayor or City Councillor, a person must:
- be at least 18 years of age on election day
- not be disqualified under The Local Government Election Act or any other Act
- be a Canadian citizen on the day the nomination paper is submitted
- have resided in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the date on which nomination papers are submitted
- have resided in the City of Saskatoon, or on land now in the city, for at least three consecutive months immediately preceding the date on which nomination papers are submitted
A candidate running for Councillor need not reside in the Ward they wish to run; however, people nominating them must be eligible voters residing in the Ward.
Who Cannot be a Mayoral or Councillorship Candidate
The following people are disqualified from being nominated as candidates for Mayor or City Councillors:
- A judge of any court
- An auditor or solicitor of the City of Saskatoon.
No person is disqualified from being nominated, elected, or holding office as a member of a council because they:
- have an interest in a contract with the City; or
- are undertaking the duties of a volunteer firefighter on behalf of the City
City of Saskatoon Employees
- Employees of the City of Saskatoon who wish to run for Mayor or City Councillor must take an unpaid leave of absence following clause 2‑54(2) (a) of The Saskatchewan Employment Act before filing a nomination paper. Documentation proving the leave of absence is required.
- This applies to employees of any Board or Commission or Corporation appointed City Council.
Qualification for School Board Trustees
To be eligible for nomination as a candidate for School Board Trustee (Public School Board OR Separate School Board), a person must:
- be a voter of the school division on the day of the election
- be a Canadian citizen at the time they submit nomination papers
- have resided in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the date on which nomination papers are submitted
- have resided in the school division for at least three consecutive months immediately preceding the date on which nomination papers are submitted
To run for the Separate School Board, the person must:
- be Catholic (any Catholic rite, such as Roman, Ukrainian, Chaldean, etc., that recognizes the pope as leader of the church)
- have all people signing the nomination paper be Catholic
Candidates for the public school board do not have to reside in the ward in which they are running; however, all people nominating the candidate must be eligible voters of the ward. The public school board consists of ten trustees, and one is elected in each of the ten civic wards.
Candidates for the separate school board are voted at large and can be nominated by any eligible separate school voter. The separate school board consists of ten trustees, and seven trustees are voted by all separate school board voters.
Employees of the School Divisions
An employee of a school board may seek nomination and election to the board if they have first obtained a leave of absence following clause 2-54(2)(a) of The Saskatchewan Employment Act .
Candidate Nominations
To be a candidate in the 2024 Municipal and School Board election, a person must compete and file the prescribed nomination papers with the Returning Officer or designated nomination officer during the nomination period. The Nomination period is Monday, September 23 to Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
Nomination papers will be accepted during normal business hours, Monday to Friday until 4 p.m. on Nomination Day, October 9, 2024.
- Mayor Nomination Forms
- Councillor Nomination Forms
- Public School Board Trustee Nomination Form
- Separate School Board Trustee Nomination Forms
Submitting a Nomination
To submit a nomination to be a candidate in the election, you must provide:
- completed nomination paper in the prescribed form - signed by the candidate and witnessed by two people;
- the appropriate number of eligible endorsements (25 Signatures for Mayor and City Councillors; 10 signatures for School Board Trustees);
- a public disclosure statement in the prescribed form (Mayor/Councillor candidates only);
- a completed Criminal Record Check (School Board Trustee candidates only);
- Deposit Fees ($100)
Additional Forms and Resources
- Election disclosure complaints officer's letter to Candidates
- Campaign Expenses Disclosure Forms (Mayor)
- Campaign Expenses Disclosure Forms (Councillor)
- Ward Maps (All Wards)
- 2024 Election Map (City Wide)
- Election Sign Guide
- 2024 Municipal Manual
- Saskatchewan School Board Association
- The Local Government Election Act, 2015
- The Local Government Election Regulations, 2015
- The Cities Act
- The Education Act, 1995
- Bylaw 8191, The Election Bylaw, 2012
- Bylaw 8491, The Campaign Disclosure and Spending Limits Bylaw, 2006
- Bylaw 9537, The Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of City Council Bylaw, 2019
- Bylaw 7491, The Temporary Sign Bylaw, 1995
- Bylaw 7565, The Poster Bylaw, 1996
Withdrawing a Nomination
If you no longer wish to be a candidate, you must file a written statement to the Returning Officer on or before 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, 2024. The statement must be signed by the candidate and two witnesses or the Returning Officer, and the deposit fee will be refunded.
Campaign Finance Management
Campaign finance rules - contributions, spending limits, key dates and reporting are set through Bylaw No. 8491, The Campaign Disclosure and Spending Limits Bylaw, 2006.
Campaign Period
- means the period beginning on Saturday, June 1, 2024, and ending on election day (Wednesday, November 13, 2024 and Elections Saskatoon expects all election campaign-related activities to occur only during this period.
Campaign Expenses
- is any money spent or liabilities incurred, including, credit card fees associated with accepting campaign contributions, the cost of making expressions of appreciation after the close of voting on election day, the cost of goods and services and the value of donations in kind used by or for the benefit of a candidate, during the campaign expenses period for a candidate’s election campaign but does not include audit fees, any remuneration paid to an official agent or the repayment of a loan, except for interest.
- The period where you can begin to incur expenses on your campaign is from Saturday, June 1, 2024, up until Sunday, December 15, 2024
- expenses incurred for the preparation of election advertising materials, website development, signs and other incidental financial charges required to accept campaign contributions may be incurred before the campaign expenses period but must be recorded and disclosed as campaign expenses.
Campaign Spending Limit
- The general spending limit for members of Council (Mayor and City Councillors) is determined based on the formula in Bylaw 8491
- The spending limit for Councillors is 10% of the allowable campaign expenses for the Mayoral office.
- The school divisions determine the maximum campaign expenses for the School Board Trustee candidates
2024 Maximum Allowable Expenses
Total campaign expenses for mayoral candidates shall not exceed $277,809.40
Total campaign expenses for councillor candidates shall not exceed $27,780.94
Total campaign expenses for public and separate school board trustee candidates must not exceed $10,000
Campaign Disclosure
All candidates must keep an accurate record of all contributions received and expenses incurred to their campaigns and report their campaign expenses in the prescribed manner to the Returning officer by the filing deadline for the Offices that they run for - whether they were elected or not.
This page will be updated regularly as more information and guidelines are received from the Province and the School Divisions.