WARMAN - Four parties are vying to win the new legislature seat in Warman. The riding previously was part of Martensville-Warman and Biggar-Sask Valley. However, a population spike in the area caused a redistribution of the electoral boundaries in 2022, and the new riding of Warman was born.
Warman is the ninth-largest city in Saskatchewan, with a population of 12,419 as of 2021.
In 2020, Martensville-Warman was won by an incumbent member of the Saskatchewan Party, Terry Jenson. The Sask Party member is seeking another term as MLA in the newly-created Warman constituency.
Jenson was appointed as Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement in May, replacing Joe Hargrave, who is not running in the upcoming election.
Jenson also owns the Clark’s Crossing Gazette based in Martensville, which covers the area’s local news.
The Sask Party and Jenson are the frontrunners in the riding. In 2020, the Sask Party received 76 per cent of the votes in the by-election, over 60 per cent more votes than the next contender, the New Democrats.
Erica Baerwald is representing the NDP in the Warman riding. Baerwald has 20 years of experience in policy research, conflict resolution and program implementation.
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Baerwald is also the town councillor for Hepburn, a small community north of Saskatoon.
If elected, she wants to improve the quality of life for Saskatchewan residents. Baerwald believes the Sask Party has ruined healthcare in the province and that change comes from listening to workers on the front line.
This will be Baerwald's first time running for a seat in the legislature.
While the NDP and Sask Party have been huge in Saskatchewan, a new party is sinking its teeth in the Warman riding. The Saskatchewan United Party, formed in 2022, has its own candidate, Andrea Early, running for the Warman riding.
Early has a degree in ethics and business and believes the Sask United Party can bring a bright future to the province.
“We [the Sask United Party] truly have the ability to and momentum to create tangible change,” said Early on her candidate profile.
Since its formation, the Sask United Party has gained traction, with former members of the Sask Party joining their party under leader John Hromek.
The final candidate for the Warman riding is Adriana Hackl Pinno for the Saskatchewan Green Party. In 2020, the Saskatchewan Green Party only got 1.7 per cent of the votes in the area, making them a long shot to win the riding.
As for the Buffalo Party, which competed in the 2020 by-election, no candidate for the riding has been announced for the upcoming election.
The provincial election is on Oct. 28.
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