As the governing Saskatchewan Party is laying out dates for nomination meetings for its sitting MLA’s and potential candidates, there will be two holes to fill.

Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit and MLA Ken Francis from Kindersley have both announced they will not be running in the next provincial election slated for the fall of 2024.

Francis was a relative newcomer to the Sask Party, elected in a by-election in 2018, and re-elected in 2020.

Ottenbreit has been a Sask Party MLA since 2007, and served in cabinet as Minister of Remote and Rural Health, as well as Minister of Highways.

The Sask Party has set up 10 nomination meetings for its sitting MLA’s and an 11th is meant to have someone waving the Sask Party banner in the riding of Saskatchewan Rivers.  That is held by now independent MLA Nadine Wilson who has been part of a movement to start a new right of centre party called Sask United.

Three byelections will have to be called soon to fill three vacant seats in the house as well.