The new speaker was voted in on Monday afternoon at the first sitting of the spring legislature.

Mark Docherty, the Saskatchewan Party MLA for Regina Coronation Park beat out six others for the position, including Moose Jaw North MLA Warren Michelson.

A vote for a new speaker was needed after speaker Corey Toshor resigned last year, stepping down to run for the federal Conservatives after winning the nomination in Saskatoon-University.