Two of Alberta’s major cities voted for new mayors in the municipal elections on Monday, led by Nahid Nenshi in Calgary and Don Iveson in Edmonton.
Political scientists say the results show whether the two cities will continue the progressive legacy of the outgoing mayors, or from a more conservative perspective.
“Thank you for the past 11 years. Thank you for taking a risk on me. Thank you for taking a risk on a different and better future,” Nenshi said on social media.
“While my political story is coming to an end, Calgary’s story is still going on … so go and vote. Make sure you vote for a better view of the future of this city.
The three municipal members – Jeff Davison, Jeromey Farkas and Jyoti Gondek – are more than two dozen candidates for the Calgary mayoral race.
In the capital, former Federal Liberal Cabinet Minister Amarjeet Sohi and Mike Nickel, a conservative-leaning city councilor, are two of 11 candidates.
Both cities reported record-high turnout for early voting. They were expected to have finalized the next slate of municipal representatives later in the evening.
Questions about the federal equalization program and daytime provincial referendum are also on the ballot. Voters in Calgary were asked in a referendum on whether to return fluoride to the city’s drinking water.
As of 4pm, about 93,000 voters made their way to Monday’s vote in Calgary. Most of the city’s 188 polling stations recorded less than 30 minutes of waiting time.
Edmonton counted about 36,000 voters on the ballot before noon
October 18, 2021