Sask. advanced polling stations busy on first day

Advanced polling stations throughout Saskatchewan were busy on Tuesday.

In Saskatoon, at the Elks Lodge just off Broadway Avenue, volunteers and workers at the polling station said they were averaging about 50 people per hour. They also mentioned there was a line of people waiting to vote at 10 a.m. when they first opened.

Katherine Ross went to vote early and explained why she decided to go now as opposed to wait until Election Day.

“I may as well go early,” Ross said. “I’m planning to go away and I don’t know for sure when I’m going.”

Ross said she appreciates the election week voting as opposed to having to vote on just a single day.

“I taught in tiny town Saskatchewan and it was awful,” she added.

Ross said the voting process was fairly easy, but she mentioned she had a difficult time deciding who it was she was going to cast a vote for.

“It’s a struggle because I don’t know what to believe or who to believe. It’s very disconcerting as a taxpayer where the money is going and all the B.S. that’s happening,” Ross said.

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Normally around this time Ross would typically know who she’s voting for, but this time around she has no clue.

“This one I have no idea,” she added. “We do need change, but what direction? Who is going to lead it and who is going to have the guts to lead? Instead of follow all the big corporations and the money. It’s not an easy choice.”

Sheldon Mojelski made it clear why he decided to vote on Monday.

“I’m here for public services and for change,” he said. “Why I’m here early? The early bird gets the worm.”

“I’m a retired school teacher, so I’m voting to get more teachers and boots on the ground in hospitals,” Mojelski added. “Our public services have just gone really badly down hill over the last 10 years or so, so it’s time for change.”

Advanced polling stations

Advanced polling stations are open across the province from Tues., Oct. 22 until Sat., Oct. 26.

There are 303 early voting locations across Saskatchewan that will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Election Day Monday, there will be a total of 716 voting locations.

Anyone who wants to vote in the election must be a Canadian citizen and show their ID.

Voter information cards on where you can vote were either emailed through Canada Post or sent by text message.

In total, there are 810,000 people in Saskatchewan who are registered to vote.