The Saskatchewan Party has maintained its hold onto power – battling its way to a fifth consecutive majority government.
CTV News has confirmed that Sask. Party candidates have been elected in 33 constituencies by press time, meaning the incumbents have won the 2024 provincial election.
Party leader Scott Moe gave thanks to the people across the province who chose to send them back to government.
“Words can never express,” he said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
The NDP was elected in 25 constituencies at the time of the call Monday night.
In a speech in front of supporter in Regina, NDP leader Carla Beck expressed some disappointment in the result.
“Friends we came so close. You know, when we started this campaign, not many people gave us a chance. But we believed. Now, because of the hard work and determination of all of you in this room and right across this province we gave people a reason to hope again,” said Beck.
“That’s not nothing. In fact that’s a victory in its own right. Now we might not have crossed the finish line first tonight, but my friends, we have changed the landscape in this province.”
“Let me tell you, tonight is not the end,” she added.
Votes are still being counted and final results are expected later in the week.
The Sask. Party will be given its fifth mandate and will have a chance in 2028 to surpass the second longest continuous tenure of a party in government (20 years), which was set by the CCF and NDP under Premiers Tommy Douglas and Woodrow S. Lloyd from 1944 to 1964.
The longest a single party has held onto the seat of government in the province was the 24 years the Liberals governed Saskatchewan from its formation in 1905 until 1929.
Despite polling data hinting at a surge in NDP support late in the campaign, the Sask. Party maintained its lead over the NDP in terms of seat count.
However, the incumbents will head back to the assembly with a much smaller presence – deeply separated along the urban/rural divide.
In his speech from Shellbrook Monday night, Moe said the shift in power delivered a clear message to his party.
“We’re going to take a little bit of time to reflect on the message that was sent here this evening.”
At dissolution of the 29th Saskatchewan Legislature, the Sask. Party held 42 seats, the NDP held 14, four MLAs sat as independents and one seat was vacant.