Absentee ballots could change Sask. seat count

Just think. The final results could be determined by jailbirds or the sick in hospitals! Lets hope the criminal classes support the NDP! I know that the insane or mental health challenged tend to vote in patterns much the same as normal people. I am not sure if they are allowed to vote in Sask. They are in Manitoba insofar as they are capable.

Absentee ballots could yet change Sask.'s political map
Last Updated: Thursday, November 8, 2007 | 6:33 PM CT
CBC News
It ain't over till it's over — at least until the absentee ballots are counted, according to Elections Saskatchewan.

Thanks to some close races and some as-yet uncounted absentee ballots, the political map resulting from Wednesday's provincial election could change in a few weeks.

Based on unofficial results, the Saskatchewan Party won 38 out of 58 seats, with the NDP winning the other 20. The result gives the Saskatchewan Party majority government status and pushes the NDP to the opposition benches for the first time in 16 years.

The three closest races were in Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.

In Meadow Lake, the Saskatchewan Party's Jeremy Harrison received 17 more votes than the incumbent New Democrat, Industry Minister Maynard Sonntag.

However, yet to be counted are 102 ballots from absentee voters. These are people who, for a variety of reasons — including being in jail — are not able to vote in their constituency.

Those votes will be counted on Nov. 19. Also counted late will be ballots from people in hospitals and people charged with crimes who are remanded in custody.

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The Meadow Lake result has already done one flip-flop. On Wednesday night, Elections Saskatchewan thought Sonntag had the most votes, but it turned out there was a mixup with some of the numbers from one poll. The mistake was publicly corrected on Thursday, giving Harrison the edge — for now.

Almost as close was the race in Moose Jaw North, where longstanding NDP incumbent Glenn Hagel went down to apparent defeat after receiving 31 fewer votes than the Saskatchewan Party's Warren Michelson.

However, there were 65 absentee ballots cast in that constituency, opening up the possibility that Hagel, a former cabinet minister in the Lorne Calvert administration, could yet return to the legislature.

An even closer race was Prince Albert Carlton, where the Saskatchewan Party's Darryl Hickie edged out New Democrat Chad Nilson by 28 votes. There, the number of absentee ballots totalled 129.

According to deputy chief electoral officer Dave Wilkie, there are no automatic recounts for small vote differences. Candidates can challenge the result, however, if the vote difference between first- and second-place finishers is smaller than the number of rejected ballots.

No matter what happens on Nov. 19, one thing is guaranteed — any changes to the three seats won't affect the Saskatchewan Party's majority.