The 2003 Saskatchewan general election was held on November 5, 2003, to elect the 58 members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan (MLAs). The election was called on October 8 by Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Lynda Haverstock, on the advice of Premier Lorne Calvert.
Campaign Going into the election, the popularity of the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan (NDP) had declined because of several controversies. Voters in this agrarian province were disgruntled because of a mediocre harvest, a disastrous summer for cattle producers — the American border had been closed to Canadian beef due to fears of mad cow disease; and the actions of a member of the NDP Cabinet who was found to have misled the people of the province on the nature of the Saskatchewan Potato Utility Development Company ("SPUDCO") — a publicly owned potato company that was inappropriately characterized as a public-private partnership that went bust in 2000.
New Liberal leader David Karwacki was elected on a platform of disbanding the coalition with the NDP. After ordering Liberal MLAs to leave government, MLAs Ron Osika and Jim Melenchuk left the party and continued to sit in government before ultimately joining the NDP.
Election issues included emigration (the province's population was falling because young people were leaving the province to look for work), honesty and integrity, privatization of public inter-city transit and energy supplies, and utility rates.
During the campaign, the NDP was attacked for an internal cartoon that had been leaked to the media. It depicted Saskatchewan Party leader Elwin Hermanson directing persons labeled 'NDP sympathizers' onto railway boxcars. The cartoon referred to speculation that, if elected, Hermanson would replace civil servants who were NDP supporters with Saskatchewan Party supporters. However, many associated it with the Holocaust – in particular Nazi Germany's deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
The campaign as a whole was seen as being quite negative, as the NDP constantly claimed that the Saskatchewan Party had a 'secret agenda' to privatize crown corporations to finance large tax cuts for business; the Saskatchewan Party had a difficult time refuting these claims, as several party members made comments that seemed consistent with this view.
Unlike many of the other provincial elections held in 2003, the election was widely regarded as too close to call up until a large proportion of the polls had reported. To the surprise of observers who believed the NDP would be affected by the poor pre-election conditions, the NDP won its fourth term in government. It actually picked up the one seat it needed for a bare majority. The election was ultimately decided in Regina Wascana Plains, which the NDP won by only 543 votes. Had the Saskatchewan Party won here, both parties would have had 29 seats each. All of the NDP's ministers were re-elected; except for two who had defected to the party from the Liberals.
The Saskatchewan Party cemented its grip on most of the rural seats, yet was unable to make further gains in urban areas. It won two additional seats in Saskatoon, but was completely shut out in Regina (though as mentioned above it nearly won Regina Wascana Plains). Believing he had taken the party as far as he could, Hermanson resigned as leader on November 18, 2003.
Although speculation was high that they could form the balance of power in the case of a minority government, the Liberals lost their one seat, shutting them out of the legislature for the first time since 1982. They would never again return to the legislature — in 2023 they re-branded as the Saskatchewan Progress Party.
Results PartyParty leader# ofcandidatesSeatsPopular vote1999Dissol.Elected% Change#%% Change New Democratic Lorne Calvert 582928 30+7.2%190,92344.68%+5.95% Saskatchewan Party Elwin Hermanson 582526 28+7.7%168,14439.35%-0.26% Liberal David Karwacki5841 –-100%60,60114.18%-5.97% Bruce Ritter 17*––*2,6150.61%* Ben Webster 27–– ––2,3230.55%-0.46%Independent 5–3 –-100%1,9970.47%+0.37% Progressive Conservative Iris Dennis 11––––6810.16%-0.24 Total 2345858 58 427,284100% Source: Elections Saskatchewan Note: * Party did not nominate candidates in previous election.
Percentages
Ranking Party SeatsSecondThirdFourthFifthSixthNew Democratic Party30280000Saskatchewan Party28264000Liberal Party045310000021600001421Progressive Conservative 000650Independent001220
6 closest constituencies
Lloydminster: Milt Wakefield (SK Party) def. Wayne Byers (NDP) by 64 votes Humboldt: Donna Harpauer (SK Party) def. Bryan Barnes (NDP) by 173 votes Saskatoon Northwest: Ted Merriman (SK Party) def. Jim Melenchuk (Ind.-NDP) by 266 votes Carrot River Valley: Allan Kerpan (SK Party) def. Mark Pitzel (NDP) by 360 votes Weyburn-Big Muddy: Brenda Bakken (SK Party) def. Sherry Leach (NDP) by 385 votes Meadow Lake: Maynard Sonntag (NDP) def. Ron Dosdall (SK Party) by 414 votes
Riding-by-riding results People in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " represents MLAs who are not running again.
Northwest Saskatchewan Electoral DistrictCandidatesIncumbentNew DemocraticSaskatchewanPartyLiberalWesternIndependenceProgressiveConservative Athabasca Buckley Belanger2,508 (70.67%)Greg Ross 806 (22.71%)Philip Derocher 212 (5.97%)Sean Gilchrist 23 (0.65%) Buckley BelangerCut Knife-Turtleford John Vinek 2,520 (39.02%)Michael Chisholm3,114 (48.21%)Larry Ingram 649 (10.05%)Josiah Rise 176 (2.72%) Wally Lorenz**Battleford-Cut KnifeLloydminster Wayne Byers1,926 (47.98%)Milt Wakefield1,990 (49.58%)Richard Sparks98 (2.44%) Milt WakefieldMeadow Lake Maynard Sonntag3,472 (50.27%)Ron Dosdall 3,058 (44.27%)Don Coupland 377(5.46%) Maynard SonntagRosthern-Shellbrook John Serhienko 2,598 (36.54%)Denis Allchurch3,604 (50.69%)George Cameron 747 (10.51%)Laverne Isaac 161 (2.26%) Ben HeppnerRosthernMerged district Denis AllchurchShellbrook-SpiritwoodThe Battlefords Len Taylor3,056 (42.53%)Larry Doke1,856 (25.83%)Jack Hillson2,134 (29.70%)Gordon Elias 139 (1.94%) Jack HillsonNorth Battleford
Northeast Saskatchewan Electoral DistrictCandidatesIncumbentNew DemocraticSaskatchewanPartyLiberalNew GreenAllianceOther Batoche Ava Bear 2,778 (36.32%)Delbert Kirsch3,356 (43.87%)Bill Yeaman 1,300 (16.99%)Gordon Robert Dumont 76 (0.99%)Florence Rabut (WIP) 140 (1.83%)New DistrictCanora-Pelly Brian Rusnak 3,008 (37.80%)Ken Krawetz4,198 (52.75%)Arlene Cote 580 (7.29%)David Sawkiw (WIP) 172 (2.16%) Ken KrawetzCarrot River Valley Mark Pitzel 3,114 (42.02%)Allan Kerpan3,474 (46.88%)Kathy McIntyre 823 (11.10%) Allan KerpanCumberland Joan Beatty3,281 (68.96%)Winston McKay 1,035 (21.75%)Allan Adam 388 (8.16%)Ari Avivi (PC) 54 (1.13%) Keith Goulet**Kelvington-Wadena Ryan Calder 2,461 (31.43%)June Draude4,515 (57.66%)Harry Kerr 542 (6.92%)Neil Fenske (WIP) 312 (3.99%) June DraudeMelfort Garnet Davis 2,833 (38.25%)Rod Gantefoer 4,060 (54.82%)Bernie Yuzdepski 513 (6.93%) Rod GantefoerMelfort-TisdalePrince Albert Carlton Myron Kowalsky3,865 (58.59%)Bert Provost 1,891 (28.66%)Carman Cripps 744 (11.28%)Jayna Lacey 71 (1.08%)Davey Clinton (Ind.) 26 (0.39%) Myron KowalskyPrince Albert Northcote Eldon Lautermilch3,286 (56.89%)Peter Abrametz 1,554 (28.90%)Brent Zbaraschuk 783 (13.56%)Ben Webster 153 (2.65%) Eldon LautermilchSaskatchewan Rivers Lon Borgerson3,446 (47.65%)Daryl Wiberg2,833 (39.27%)Cliff Rose 765 (10.58%)Gerald Regnitter 188 (2.60%) Daryl Wiberg
West Central Saskatchewan Electoral DistrictCandidatesIncumbentNew DemocraticSaskatchewanPartyLiberalWesternIndependenceOther Arm River-Watrous Carol Rowan 3,193 (38.23%)Greg Brkich4,009 (48.01%)Steven Barlow 922 (11.04%)Gord Anderson 162 (1.94%)Gord Pederson (Ind.) 65 (0.78%) Greg BrkichArm RiverMerged districtDonna HarpauerWatrousBiggar Lee Pearce 2,639 (36.11%)Randy Weekes3,917 (53.61%)Steven Dribnenki 751 (10.28%) Randy WeekesRedberry LakeHumboldt Bryan Barnes 3,291 (39.89%)Donna Harpauer3,464 (41.99%)Les Alm 1,495 (18.12%)Del Anderson 138"VOIDED – Candidacy Withdrawn" (see "Humboldt" under Elections Saskatchewan: Twenty-Fifth Provincial General Election .) Arlene Julé**Kindersley Blair McDaid 1,443 (22.05%)Jason Dearborn3,960 (60.50%)Del Price 1,142 (17.45%) Jason DearbornMartensville Zane Dmytryshyn 1,836 (26.87%)Ben Heppner3,778 (55.28%)Allan Earle 1,135 (16.61%)Warren Fehr 85 (1.24%) Ben HeppnerRosthernRosetown-Elrose Jack Randall Mason 2,200 (27.06%)Elwin Hermanson5,173 (63.62%)Janay Volk 758 (9.32%) Elwin HermansonRosetown-Biggar
Southwest Saskatchewan Electoral DistrictCandidatesIncumbentNew DemocraticSaskatchewanPartyLiberalWesternIndependenceNew GreenAlliance Cypress Hills Eric August 1,418 (20.81%)Wayne Elhard4,458 (65.42%)Barry Thienes 938 (13.77%) Wayne ElhardMoose Jaw North Glenn Hagel4,580 (57.86%)Darin Chow 2,838 (35.85%)Dean Legaré 431 (5.44%)Michael Wright 67 (0.85%) Glenn HagelMoose Jaw Wakamow Deb Higgins4,394 (62.60%)Gwen Beitel 2,129 (30.33%)Robert Cosman 429 (6.11%)Marcella Gall 67 (0.96%) Deb HigginsSwift Current Dean Smith 2,707 (36.64%)Brad Wall4,312 (58.37%)Mike Burton 369 (4.99%) Brad WallThunder Creek Larry Hall 2,572 (30.92%)Lyle Stewart4,450 (53.50%)Rod Haugerud 1,132 (13.61%)Harold Stephan 164 (1.97%) Lyle StewartWood River Trevor Davies 2,043 (25.98%)Yogi Huyghebaert4,350 (55.32%)Louis Stringer 1,264 (16.07%)Nick Yorga 207 (2.63%) Yogi Huyghebaert
Southeast Saskatchewan Electoral DistrictCandidatesIncumbentNew DemocraticSaskatchewanPartyLiberalWesternIndependenceOther Cannington Henry Friesen 1,569 (21.70%)Dan D'Autremont5,115 (70.74%)John Atwell 547 (7.56%) Dan D'AutremontEstevan David Pattyson2,154 (31.39%)Doreen Eagles3,522 (51.32%)Tim Seipp1,095 (15.96%)Sigfredo Gonzales (NGA)91 (1.33%) Doreen EaglesIndian Head-Milestone Lorne Scott3,258 (39.43%)Don McMorris4,070 (49.26%)Anthony Gavrielides724 (8.76%)Ron Borys 211 (2.55%) Don McMorrisLast Mountain-Touchwood Jordon Hillier3,055 (39.75%)Glen Hart3,722 (48.42%)Greg Burton704 (9.16%)Merv Werk 205 (2.67%) Glen HartMelville-Saltcoats Ron Osika 2,858 (32.20%)Bob Bjornerud 3,462 (39.01%)Brian Tochor 880 (9.92%)Grant Schmidt (Ind.)1,675 (18.87%) Ron OsikaMelvilleMerged district Bob BjornerudSaltcoatsMoosomin Robert Stringer2,268 (30.89%)Don Toth4,400 (59.92%)Bryn Hirsch 506 (6.89%)Frank Serfas 169 (2.30%) Don TothWeyburn-Big Muddy Sherry Leach3,491 (40.64%)Brenda Bakken3,876 (45.12%)Janet Ledingham1,223 (14.24%) Brenda BakkenYorkton Clay Serby3,993 (51.53%)Randy Atkinson 3,163 (40.82%)Chuck Gunning 371 (4.79%)Bruce Ritter 222 (2.86%) Clay Serby
Saskatoon