Advance voting for Calgary’s municipal election has concluded, revealing a decrease in turnout compared to the previous election. A total of 96,549 individuals voted during the six-day advance polling period, representing 10.7% of eligible voters. The final day of voting on October 11 saw the highest turnout, with 22,144 ballots cast.
The City of Calgary noted that the turnout numbers included various locations such as regular advance vote sites, hospitals, post-secondary institutions, and mobile voting stations. These numbers may slightly change as final tabulations are completed.
Mount Royal University policy professor Lori Williams observed a trend of voters struggling to connect with candidates in this election cycle. A recent poll showed that a third of Calgarians remain undecided about the mayoral race. Williams suggested that the introduction of political parties may be contributing to voter uncertainty.
The turnout for advance voting this year decreased by a third compared to the previous election in 2021, which was held during the pandemic. In 2021, 141,329 Calgarians participated in early voting, leading to Jyoti Gondek’s victory in the mayoral race. Williams attributed the higher engagement in the 2021 election to factors such as the absence of an incumbent mayor, a plebiscite on fluoride, and a referendum on daylight saving time.
While this year’s early voting totals surpass those of 2017 and 2013, Williams anticipates a potential dip in turnout on the official election day. She emphasized the importance of every vote in a potentially lower turnout scenario, where individual votes could have a significant impact on the election outcome.
The municipal election day in Calgary is set for October 20, and voters can check the City of Calgary website for their designated polling station based on their address.