Volunteers hit road, deliver signs as candidates vie for votes

For nearly two decades, volunteering during provincial elections has been a tradition for Wilfred Martin.

Martin lives in Saskatoon, and started to deliver signs and knock on doors prior to Paul Merriman being elected into office for the first time in 2011.

Martin said he knew Merriman and wanted to do what he could to help him get elected.

“I started one term before Paul started in politics. When Paul started, myself and another fella knew him very well and we liked what he stood for. He asked us to help with him and here we are, still here,” Martin said.

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Martin said he never thought that 13 years later he’d still be delivering signs and knocking on doors convincing people to vote for the Saskatoon Silverspring-Sutherland MLA candidate.

Over the course of the next month, Martin said he and other volunteers will be busy hoping to convince people to vote in their candidate’s favour.

“Today we’re probably out there four to five hours, or more. Probably after midnight again, I’ll be out again checking to see if anything is damaged. (I’ll be out) every day pretty much until the election is done. I love it,” he explained.

Martin enjoys helping Merriman, but also loves chatting with people and thinks it’s the best part of the job.

“I think meeting the people — this is a great bunch of people — I’ve been a volunteer in this city since I moved here in the ’70s and I just liked volunteering. I think (for) people to get out and vote is very important,” Martin added.

When it comes to door-knocking to pitch why people should vote for Merriman, Martin said that he just speaks from his experience and honesty.

Martin is hopeful to get Merriman back into the Saskatchewan legislature.

“Hopefully we get our candidate we’re working for elected, but stranger things have happened I guess,” Martin said.

He also said he hopes everyone gets out and votes.

Volunteer Glenn Tarr sticks a Jaqueline Roy candidate sign into a supporters lawn in Regina on Oct. 1, 2024. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)

In Regina, Glenn Tarr was on the road hours after the writ dropped to start the 2024 provincial election and spent a few hours delivering orange election signs to different houses in the city.

“I support Carla,” Tarr said. “We need a change, and I’m out here trying to make a difference.”

Tarr weaved through different neighbourhoods in the Regina Northeast constituency in his truck, sticking signs into lawns, and leaving a thank you note in the mailbox.

He said he’s supporting the NDP because he is part of a union.

“NDP is all about supporting the union’s working class, so it’s just the right move for me,” he added.

Within the next few days, Tarr said he will deliver over 100 different signs.

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