NDP's Vicki Mowat wins handily in Saskatoon Fairview byelection

Vicki Mowat, the NDP candidate for Saskatoon Fairview, handily wonThursday night's race for the empty MLAseat.

Mowatgarnered just over 60 per cent of the total 4,572 votes cast in the byelection.

Her closest competitor, the Saskatchewan Party's Cameron Scott, drew about 31per cent.

Premier Brad Wall congratulated Mowat on Twitter.

The byelection drew 35.7 per cent of eligible voters in the constituency. That compares to a voter turnout of 50.1 per cent for Saskatoon Fairview during the April 2016 general election.

2nd time's a charm

Mowat's victory comes a year and a half after her first bid for the seat. She lost, narrowly, to the Sask.Party's Jennifer Campeauin the 2016 general election.

Campeau stepped down from her seat this past summer, paving the way for Thursday night's byelection.

"We did it!" Mowat said to her supporters at the Confereration Inn. "We need a strong opposition before we can form the government in 2020."

When speaking to reporters, Mowatwas asked what her first priority as an MLA-elect will be once the next sittingof the legislature begins on Oct. 25.

"I just want to be able to fight for people in Fairview," she said."They don't feel like they've had that strong voice lately. I just want to be our representative for them."