Scott Moe's Saskatchewan Party won a fourth consecutive majority government on October 26, 2020, capturing 48 of 61 seats in the province's first pandemic-era election. The writ was issued on September 29, with Saskatchewan's fixed election date law mandating the October 26 polling day despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Moe had ruled out a snap spring election when the pandemic emerged in March. Turnout was 54.2%, depressed by pandemic conditions, though a record 185,061 advance votes and 56,547 mail-in ballots were cast.

The election was Moe's first general election as leader. He had won the Saskatchewan Party leadership on January 27, 2018, succeeding Brad Wall, who retired in August 2017 after a decade as premier. NDP leader Ryan Meili, a Saskatoon family physician, was also facing his first general election, having won the party leadership in March 2018 after two previous unsuccessful bids. The campaign was shaped by pandemic restrictions — traditional rallies were replaced by small gatherings and socially distanced canvassing.

Results

The Saskatchewan Party won 48 seats with 60.7% of the popular vote, down from 51 seats and 62.4% in 2016 but still a commanding majority. The NDP won 13 seats with 31.6%, a net gain of 3 seats from the 2016 result of 10. No other party won a seat. The Buffalo Party, a new western alienation movement that had registered just months before the election, won 2.9% of the vote running 17 candidates in rural ridings. The Green Party received 2.3% and the Progressive Conservatives 1.9%.

The urban-rural divide was stark. The NDP held seats only in Saskatoon (6), Regina (5), and the two northern ridings of Athabasca and Cumberland. The Saskatchewan Party swept every rural and small-city seat in central and southern Saskatchewan.

Party Leaders

Scott Moe (Saskatchewan Party) — Raised on a grain farm near Shellbrook, roughly 140 kilometres north of Saskatoon, Moe earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan and worked in the agricultural equipment industry before entering politics. First elected as MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook in 2011, he served in Brad Wall's cabinet as Minister of Environment and Minister of Advanced Education. When Wall announced his retirement on August 10, 2017, Moe entered the leadership race with the backing of more than 20 caucus members. He won on the fifth ballot on January 27, 2018, with 53.9% of the vote, narrowly defeating Alanna Koch, and was sworn in as Saskatchewan's 15th premier on February 2, 2018.

Ryan Meili (NDP) — A family physician who grew up on a farm near Moose Jaw, Meili studied at the University of Saskatchewan before completing his medical degree. He founded several healthcare initiatives including the Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health (SWITCH) and the Upstream think tank, and practised at a community clinic in Saskatoon's core neighbourhood serving underserved populations. He first sought the NDP leadership in 2009, finishing second, and lost again in 2013 by just 44 votes. He won the Saskatoon Meewasin by-election in March 2017, then won the NDP leadership on his third attempt in March 2018 with 55% of the vote. His own seat of Saskatoon Meewasin was one of the election's closest races — he trailed by 83 votes on election night before winning by 209 after mail-in ballots were counted.

Campaign Issues

COVID-19 was the dominant backdrop. Moe framed the election around economic recovery and pledged not to reinstate lockdown measures. Meili, drawing on his medical background, called for clear public health criteria to guide pandemic decisions and accused the government of prioritizing austerity over public services.

Healthcare was the top issue for women of all ages and among the top three priorities overall. The NDP called for investment in public healthcare and long-term care, arguing the Saskatchewan Party had chronically underfunded the system. The party's platform, titled "People First," centred on public services.

The resource-dependent economy — potash, uranium, oil, and agriculture — was the top priority among male voters. The Saskatchewan Party campaigned on its fiscal management record, promising tax credits, a return to balanced budgets within four years, and population growth strategies. The NDP proposed subsidized daycare and driver rebates.

Rural crime remained a concern, particularly in southern Saskatchewan. Education funding was another recurring theme, with both parties promising capital investment in schools.

Notable Outcomes

The Saskatchewan Party's fourth consecutive majority tied a record not seen since Tommy Douglas's CCF in the 1940s and 1950s. The party's popular vote above 60% for the third straight election was also a historic benchmark.

The biggest surprise was the NDP's loss of Saskatoon Riversdale — a riding held by the NDP or CCF for virtually its entire history, including by former premier Roy Romanow. The Saskatchewan Party's capture of this traditionally safe NDP seat was the single most unexpected result of election night.

The NDP flipped three seats from the Saskatchewan Party: Saskatoon Eastview, Saskatoon University, and Regina University — where incumbent cabinet minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor was defeated. The party lost Regina Northeast back to the Saskatchewan Party after winning it in a 2018 by-election.

Eight ridings were too close to call on election night due to outstanding mail-in ballots — a new phenomenon driven by pandemic voting. The Buffalo Party's debut was notable: despite running only 17 candidates, the western alienation party finished second in four rural ridings including Cypress Hills, Kindersley, Estevan, and Cannington, drawing votes primarily from Saskatchewan Party supporters.