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Cynthia Block has made history, becoming Saskatoon’s first female mayor.

With 72 out of 82 polls reporting — around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 — Block held an insurmountable lead in the mayoral race. With 25,807 votes, she was well ahead of Gord Wyant at 17,962 and former mayor Don Atchison at 9,083. Cary Tarasoff was sitting in fourth place with 5,599 votes, while Mike Harder had just 484 votes.

Block, standing in the City Hall lobby area, said she was “proud and grateful for a city that has chosen hope, a city that has chosen a vision that means we have an opportunity to provide for all of us.”

Block — a two-term city councillor in Ward 6 before entering the race — follows Charlie Clark, who said earlier this year he wouldn’t seek reelection.

She said voters “want a modern, 21st century city that’s moving forward, not backward.”

Block earlier this week described feelings of being overwhelmed and humbled, and reflected on the long hours and hard work needed to get the many messages of her campaign in front of the public.

“I feel overwhelmed in a way that I’m not used to. I think that’s just because of the support that I’m feeling in the community,” she said.

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Mayoral candidate Cynthia Block thanks her supporters while awaiting results at her campaign headquarters during 2024 Saskatoon civic election night. Photo taken in Saskatoon, Sask. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Block took the lead early in the ballot count and maintained that momentum throughout the night. With each 10 or so polling stations reporting, around 1,000 votes were added to her lead.

During a mayoral debate, Block promised that, if elected, in the first 100 days she would call a facilitated business group session to work on goals and strategies together.

Saskatoon last held an election without an incumbent mayor running in 1988 when Cliff Wright decided not to seek a fifth straight term. Henry Dayday won his first mayoral term that year, finishing ahead of a four-candidate field including runner-up Ross McQuarrie.

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Zach Jeffries knows exactly what the new members of Saskatoon city council will be thinking — and feeling.

At least five new city councillors were guaranteed to be elected in Wednesday’s civic campaign. Jeffries was in their shoes back in 2012, when he was first elected to council in Ward 10. This year, Jeffries was acclaimed in his ward to serve another term on council.

He said he’s looking forward to being able to offer his assistance to new councillors, acknowledging that being new to the scene can at times be an overwhelming experience.

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“I can tell you that being elected for the first time is very much a process where you feel like you’re drinking from a firehose,” he said.

Jeffries said the new councillors should work to represent the views of people living in their wards, while acknowledging that they may have a big learning curve.

“I remember thinking that it took me the better part of a year to realize exactly how things work, how I can be most effective and how to make things happen,” he said.

Mayoral candidate Gordon Wyant awaits results and visits with supporters at his campaign headquarters during civic election night. Photo taken in Saskatoon, Sask. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix

While he did not have to campaign to win re-election this year, Jeffries said he still took the time to get out and talk with residents in Ward 10.

“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to talk to, meet with, to knock on the doors of so many residents and hear what they have to say,” he said.

In addition to the five out of 10 wards guaranteed to elect a new city councillor, there will be a new mayor after Charlie Clark chose to not seek reelection.

Two contestants in the closest Saskatoon city council race of 2020 are among the candidates again this year.

In Ward 1, incumbent Darren Hill is joined in the five-person race by Kevin Boychuk. Four years ago, Hill retained his seat on council by just 56 votes — 1,639 to 1,583 — over Boychuk. With the same pair back in contention, and joined by Dallas Burnett, Kathryn MacDonald and Russell Nadin this year, it’s expected to be one of the wards to watch.

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In Ward 2, the candidates include Franklin Arthurs, Jean Beliveau, Janna Horn, Fraser Kent, Karen Kobussen and Senos Timon. Previous councillor Hilary Gough is not seeking reelection.

In Ward 3, Coun. David Kirton is not seeking reelection. Vying for his seat are Devyn Gregoire, Robert Pearce and Mike San Miguel.

Multi-term councillor Troy Davies is seeking reelection in Ward 4, while Courtney Saliken and Numaan Shafqat are vying to replace him.

In Ward 5, Randy Donauer is seeking another term as councillor. Kyla Kitzul, Tyler Knihnitski, Nick Prytula and David Prokopchuk are also in the race.

Mayoral candidate Don Atchison hangs out with supporters at the Saskatoon Shrine Club during the civic election night. Photo taken in Saskatoon, Sask. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix

A new councillor will be named in Ward 6, with Cynthia Block seeking the mayor’s chair. Contenders include Terry Alm, Tony Bassett, Terry Hoknes, Jonathan Naylor and Jasmin Parker.

In Ward 7, Edward Agbai, Holly Kelleher, Jamie Kirkpatrick and Justin Wiens are looking to replace Mairin Loewen, who chose not to run again.

Ward 8 will also have a new councillor, with Sarina Gersher not seeking reelection. The candidates include Darren Abrey, Henry Tsz Lok Chan, Scott Ford, Prathamesh Kale, Ron Mantyka, Malvina Rapko, Peggy Schmeiser and Kevin Zarycki.

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Acclaimed candidates include two veterans of city council: Bev Dubois in Ward 9 and Jeffries in Ward 10.

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