Calgary election results 2025: Jeromy Farkas edges to unofficial win in razor-thin Calgary mayoral race

Calgary’s municipal election delivered a dramatic finish late Monday night, with Jeromy Farkas emerging as the unofficial winner for mayor by a margin of just 585 votes. With all 380 voting locations reporting early Tuesday (Oct. 21, 2025, local time), the preliminary tally showed Farkas narrowly ahead of Sonya Sharp, while incumbent Jyoti Gondek finished third. The result breaks a 45-year pattern in Calgary politics, marking the first defeat of a sitting mayor since 1980. Officials emphasized that results remain unofficial until certified, and the margin could prompt recount procedures under election rules.

Calgary mayoral election results: unofficial tally

Unofficial votes with 380/380 locations reporting

Status: Unofficial. Numbers may change during verification; recounts are possible when margins are exceptionally narrow.

What tipped the Calgary mayoral race

The 2025 Calgary mayoral election centered on cost-of-living pressures, property taxes, downtown revitalization, public safety, and the city’s stance on energy transition. Farkas, a former councillor, campaigned on fiscal restraint, a back-to-basics approach to core services, and a more assertive posture on economic growth. Sharp emphasized neighbourhood-level problem-solving and accountability through a slate-based “Communities First” platform, while Gondek defended her record on climate and downtown recovery. The split field and late deciders appear to have amplified the close finish, with advance votes and the final batches from election-day counting pushing the race into the early hours.

Recount watch: what happens next in the Calgary election

Because the mayoral margin is under 1,000 votes, attention now turns to the certification timeline. Elections officials will complete audit checks, account for any outstanding ballots that are eligible for inclusion, and then issue an official declaration. Campaigns can request a recount or seek a judicial recount depending on final certified margins and statutory thresholds. Recent updates indicate the count of advance ballots was centralized to speed reporting for the mayor’s race; ward and trustee counts continued into Tuesday. Details may evolve as verification proceeds.

Turnout and voting patterns in Calgary

By 9:30 p.m. Monday, unofficial turnout had surpassed 200,000 ballots cast citywide, with lines accommodated after the 8 p.m. close for voters already queued. Final turnout figures will be confirmed during certification. Early indications suggest strong engagement driven by the competitive mayoral contest and the introduction of local political slates in several wards, adding clarity for some voters and drawing sharper contrasts on taxes, service levels, and growth.

Jeromy Farkas and where he sits on the political spectrum

Voters frequently ask whether Jeromy Farkas is conservative. In municipal contests, candidates run without formal federal or provincial party labels, and Farkas ran as an independent. His record and platform signal a fiscally conservative orientation—prioritizing restrained spending, skepticism toward new taxes or fees, and a business-forward posture on permitting and downtown recovery. On social issues, municipal files are narrower in scope, but his emphasis has consistently been on cost control, policing, and core services rather than expansive new programs.

Calgary mayoral candidates 2025: key takeaways

• Farkas’s path to victory: Consolidated support among voters seeking lower taxes, quicker permitting, and a firmer focus on basics such as streets, safety, and snow.

• Sharp’s near miss: A competitive campaign with grassroots organizing and neighbourhood framing that kept the race within hundreds of votes.

• Gondek’s third-place finish: Incumbency proved a headwind amid concerns over affordability and rate pressures, despite major files like downtown conversion projects and climate planning.

What a Farkas administration could mean for Calgary

Expect early moves aimed at signaling fiscal discipline: direction to administration on spending caps, acceleration of permitting reforms, and a review of multi-year tax strategies. Council dynamics will matter—many ward races featured organized slates and issue-aligned candidates—so coalition-building will be essential to pass budgets and recalibrate big files like downtown revitalization incentives, transit safety, and housing approvals. On energy and climate, anticipate a more industry-friendly tone while retaining core municipal objectives on emissions and resilience through pragmatic, cost-bounded measures.

Certification timeline and how to follow updates

Certification typically follows several days of verification and reconciliation. Unofficial results can shift slightly as audits conclude. If a recount is triggered or requested, expect timelines to extend. Readers should treat the totals above as preliminary until the returning officer issues the official declaration.