In the unofficial results of the 2025 Calgary mayoral election, former Ward 11 councillor Jeromy Farkas narrowly defeated Communities First leader Sonya Sharp by less than a percentage point. Sharp has announced her intention to seek a recount following a close race with Farkas. The city’s data reveals that Farkas received 91,068 votes, while Sharp garnered 90,484 votes, with fewer than 600 votes separating the top two candidates.
According to the city’s returning officer Kate Martin, if the margin of victory is within half a percentage point of the total ballots cast at a specific polling station, a recount can be requested for that station under provincial law. The overall difference between Farkas and Sharp city-wide stands at approximately 0.17% of the total 348,626 ballots cast.
In response to the results, Sharp emphasized the importance of ensuring accuracy in the electoral process and expressed her willingness to accept the outcome of the review, regardless of the final result. If the numbers hold, Farkas is set to become Calgary’s 38th mayor, unseating the incumbent mayor for the first time since 1980. During a media briefing, Farkas acknowledged the contributions of Jyoti Gondek and expressed his commitment to collaborating with individuals across the political spectrum to address key issues like safety and affordability.
The voter turnout for this year’s election is expected to be the lowest in recent years, marked by complaints of long wait times. Farkas, who ran as an independent candidate in opposition to what he perceived as a disconnected council, saw a decrease in support compared to the previous election where he was the runner-up. Sharp, running on a platform focused on public safety and infrastructure improvements, conceded the race, while Gondek, who came in third, thanked her supporters and expressed optimism for Calgary’s future.
As the new council takes shape, the composition of the council will be revealed later on Tuesday due to the manual counting process. Farkas, who has a background in political science and previously served as a city councillor, emphasized the importance of collaboration and bridge-building in his approach to governance. The mayoral candidates recognized the importance of listening to constituents and working towards common goals in their post-election statements.