CBC News projects winners in 2 contested provincial election ridings

CBC's Decision Desk projects Sask. Party candidatesMuhammad Fiaz andMarv Friesenas winners intwo hotly contested ridings after Elections Saskatchewan's final vote countwas completed.

The final seat count is 48 for the Sask. Party and 13 for the New Democratic Party (NDP).

The Regina Pasquaincumbent and Sask. Party candidateFiazearned4,791 votes, while runner up andNDP candidate Bhajan Brar got 4,535 votes. The constituency had the most mail-in ballots counted with 2,674.

Fiaz won the new riding in 2016, and the area includes the relatively new subdivision Harbour Landing. According to the city's most recent census, the new subdivision has the lowest median age at 29.9.

Winning by just 81 votes, the Sask. Party'sFriesentookSaskatoon Riversdalewith 2,984 votes. NDP candidate Ashlee Hicks was the runner up with 2,903 votes.

Freisen had lost to NDP's Danielle Chartier in 2016, who did not run in the 2020 election. The NDP has held this riding since 1967, except for one term between 1982 and 1986.

Saskatoon Riversdale was held by former premiers Roy Romanow and Lorne Calvert.

There were a total of 445,011 votes in this year's election, which makes up around 53 per cent of eligible voters in the province. There were 56,547 mail-in ballots counted with 61,255 issued.

Now the final count is complete, as per Saskatchewan's Election Act, candidates or business managers have eight days to request a recount.

On Nov. 18, all 61 Returning Offices must complete a Return to the Writ and send it back to the chief electoral officer. Upon receiving the document, the chief electoral officer must inform the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of the winning candidates, who can then be sworn in as Members of the Legislative Assembly.