It was a surprise result in last night’s byelection in the Athabasca riding.

Sask. Party Jim Lemaigre defeated NDP candidate Georgina Jolibois to win the vacant seat.

The NDP had a hold on the Athabasca riding for nearly 25 years.

Last night’s results showed that Lemaigre had 1,146 votes while Jolibois had 900 votes.

The seat in the Athabasca riding became vacant after NDP’s Bucky Belanger elected to run in the federal election with the Liberal party.

There are 40 mail in ballots that have yet to be counted. The Second Preliminary Count will take place on February 17 with the results from the final being released on February 28.

First Preliminary Count results:
Clint Arnason Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan (BPSK) 12 votes
Georgina Jolibois New Democratic Party (N.D.P.) 900 votes
Jim Lemaigre Saskatchewan Party 1,146 votes
Darwin Roy Independent 157 votes
Rejected Ballots 13