In the unofficial results of the 2025 Calgary mayoral election, Jeromy Farkas, a former Ward 11 councilor, has secured a victory over Communities First leader Sonya Sharp by a slim margin of less than one percent. Sharp has expressed her intention to request a recount following the close race overnight. The city’s announcement revealed that Farkas garnered 91,068 votes, narrowly edging out Sharp, who received 90,484 votes.
With less than 600 votes setting the two candidates apart, a recount may be sought for specific polling stations if the results fall within half a percentage point of the total ballots cast for mayor at each station. The preliminary city-wide results indicate a mere 0.17% difference between Farkas and Sharp out of the total 348,626 ballots cast.
In response to the outcome, Sharp emphasized the importance of ensuring accuracy in the election process and expressed her readiness to accept the results of the review. If confirmed, Farkas will become Calgary’s 38th mayor, marking the first time an incumbent mayor has been unseated since 1980. Farkas, acknowledging the tight race, extended his gratitude to Jyoti Gondek for her mayoral service and expressed his commitment to working with individuals across the political spectrum for the betterment of Calgary.
The voter turnout for this election appears to be on a downward trend, with reports of long queues at polling stations. In comparison to the 2021 election, where Farkas was the runner-up, the number of supporters for him this year has decreased. Farkas ran as an independent candidate in this election, highlighting his opposition to what he perceived as a disconnected council on critical issues such as jobs, housing, and safety.
Gondek, who succeeded in the 2021 mayoral race, conceded the 2025 election and commended the collaborative efforts during her campaign. She expressed optimism for Calgary’s future despite the election outcome. Additional candidates in the race, such as Davison and Thiessen, also extended their gratitude to supporters and emphasized the importance of continuing to advocate for community-focused policies.
The composition of the new council, including at least eight new councillors due to incumbents not seeking re-election, will be disclosed later. The counting process is being conducted manually following the provincial government’s ban on electronic vote tabulators in 2024.
As the results unfold, stay updated on the city council and school trustee races on the official election page.