CALGARY — The confirmation of results for the Calgary municipal election, set to take place today, will take longer than in previous years, according to Calgary Returning Officer Kate Martin. Voters hoping to quickly learn the identities of the next mayor and city councillors will face an extended wait time.
Martin attributes the delay to new legislation introduced by the UCP government in 2024, which requires all ballots to be counted by hand instead of using electronic voting tabulators. The province has stated that this measure will help increase transparency and accountability in local elections.
While the Returning Officer expects the winner of the mayoral race to be known by Monday night, the final ward results for councillors will not be available until 3 PM on Tuesday afternoon.
The change marks a significant shift from previous elections, where results were often finalized hours earlier on election night. Martin urges patience as election officials work through the manual counting process under the new provincial rules.
