Sask. Party breaks through with byelection win in northern Sask.

It appears that voters in northern Saskatchewan are sending former RCMP officer, Jim Lemaigre to the provincial legislature.

Preliminary results of Tuesday’s byelection in the constituency of Athabasca, show Saskatchewan Party candidate Lemaigre winning with just over 51 per cent of the vote.

Georgina Jolibois, a former mayor of La Loche and MP, finished second for the New Democrats with just over 40 per cent of the 2,228  ballots cast.

Independent Darwin Roy came in third, while Clint Arnason for the Buffalo Party finished fourth.

The byelection result ends the NDP’s 25 year reign in the northernwestern riding.

The seat became vacant last August when former NDP member Buckley Belanger resigned from the legislature to pursue an unsuccessful bid for the Liberal Party in the September federal election.

Premier Scott Moe on Twitter called the election results very significant.

Your @SaskParty government has always had MLAs representing every part of the province, except for the far north. That changed tonight. Saskatchewan Party MLAs now represent every part of SK, from border to border to border to border.

[2/2]

— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) February 16, 2022

Voter turnout was 24 per cent.