EdmontonElection2025

It official, Andrew Knack has been declared as Edmonton's new mayor but who will serve with him on counsel is not yet confirmed, but some preliminary counts suggest some incumbents may be serving with Andrew Knack.

Campaign Roundup - Day 27

• We are in the last days of the election campaign! Election Day is Monday, October 20th. Polls will be open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. You can find locations - as well as voter information - on the City’s website.
• Mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell is hosting a Virtual Town Hall on October 19th at 3:30 PM to discuss the challenges facing Edmonton and his plans to improve the city. Rahim Jaffer, also vying for the Mayor’s chair, posted a new campaign video urging Edmontonians to vote for real change. He highlighted the need to cut taxes, tackle crime, focus on the basics, and end the status quo that he says has failed the City for decades.
• Michael Walters took to Facebook to post several endorsements of those supporting his bid for Mayor. Endorsements include former Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, former Mayor Stephen Mandel, and former Councillor Scott McKeen.
• Also continuing to campaign is Mayoral candidate Andrew Knack, who shared a message highlighting the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on seniors, families, and young residents. He says he envisions a Stronger Edmonton where affordability is a priority, with support for seniors, accessible childcare, fair housing for renters, affordable City services, and a strong, safe transit system.
• Don’t forget to check out our 2025 Municipal Election Coverage, which reveals where Mayoral and Council candidates stand on key issues like safety, affordability, taxation, and accountability. We have published their unedited responses so voters can make informed choices. There are videos too!

Campaign Roundup - Day 26

• Our Edmonton Election Survey is being updated regularly to reflect new candidate submissions. The survey reveals where Mayoral and Council candidates stand on key issues like safety, affordability, taxation, and accountability. We have published their unedited responses so voters can make informed choices.
• We have also launched our Edmonton Election Videos, featuring in-depth interviews with candidates for Mayor and Council. This video series offers a more personal way to learn about candidates compared to written survey responses.
• The Canada Post strike is forcing Edmonton mayoral campaigns to pivot from traditional mailouts to volunteer-driven outreach. Candidates like Andrew Knack and Michael Walters are relying on volunteers to hand-deliver literature and engage residents directly, as voter information cards were not mailed due to the strike. Knack emphasized that door-to-door efforts foster stronger connections with voters and ensure people know when and where to vote. Walters expressed concern that new voter registration rules, combined with the lack of mailed information, could impact turnout. Edmonton Elections has expanded 311 services to help residents find polling stations and is encouraging in-person submission of special ballots.
• Public safety has emerged as the top issue in Edmonton’s municipal election, with 85% of surveyed residents prioritizing crime reduction and 80% concerned about downtown disorder. Mayoral candidates noted that addressing safety involves more than policing alone, but have differing solutions for how to deal with it.

Campaign Roundup - Day 25:

• The team at Common Sense Edmonton has released our 2025 Municipal Election Survey, revealing where Mayoral and Council candidates stand on key issues like safety, affordability, taxation, and accountability. We have published their unedited responses so voters can make informed choices. Some candidates answered, others declined - but all responses, or lack thereof, offer insight into their priorities. We’ll be updating the website as candidates respond, so check back often!
• A new CityNews poll shows widespread dissatisfaction among Edmontonians with the top six Mayoral candidates. While Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack lead in support, large shares of respondents feel none of the candidates have the vision, trustworthiness, or alignment with residents’ values needed to lead the City.
• The poll also shows widespread dissatisfaction with Edmonton’s current Council, with more than two-thirds of voters believing their sitting Councillors don’t deserve re-election. About 51% of respondents rated their local Councillor as doing a “bad job,” and nearly 75% feel the City is headed in the wrong direction. With 9 of the 12 incumbents seeking re-election, these results suggest significant turnover could occur in Monday’s election.
• The priorities in this election are quite different from the priorities in 2021, when public health restrictions and pandemic-related issues dominated voters’ concerns. This year, key issues include managing the challenges of a growing city, fiscal responsibility, taxes, and public services like snow removal and safety. Social justice and climate change have decreased in perceived importance, while regaining trust in City leadership is being seen as central.

Campaign Roundup - Day 24

• Election Day is Monday, October 20th. Polls will be open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. You can find locations - as well as voter information - on the City’s website.
• We know many of you have questions about the survey we sent out - and we’re excited to share that we’re almost done collecting all the responses! The results will be published very soon, so keep an eye on your inbox for the update.
• Our friends at the Alberta Parents’ Union have officially launched the School Board Trustee Survey 2025! After extensive research, outreach, and review, this survey offers the most detailed look at school board candidates’ positions ever compiled in Alberta. It covers key topics like parental involvement, student safety, academic performance, and transparency. You can access it here.
• CTV News Edmonton has compiled a platform tracker outlining where each leading mayoral candidate stands on key issues ahead of the upcoming election. The tracker highlights candidate positions on taxes and affordability, safety, infill development, and city growth, with links to detailed articles for each topic. You can take a look here.

Campaign Roundup - Day 23

• Advance voting turnout reached 41,340 voters over five days, averaging 8,268 per day. While total turnout was lower than 2021’s 63,834, the daily average was significantly higher despite half as many voting days. Participation increased steadily throughout the week, peaking at nearly 10,700 on the final day. By comparison, Calgary’s advance polls drew over 96,000 voters during its six-day period.
• A new poll shows that most Edmontonians want improved City services like better snow clearing, road maintenance, and crime reduction - but without higher taxes.The next Council will have to balance fiscal restraint with residents’ expectations, possibly by rethinking how money is managed. Mayoral candidates have taken differing stances: Omar Mohammad pledges a tax freeze, Tim Cartmell wants to keep any increases within inflation, Michael Walters says the proposed 2026 tax hike needs to be cut by at least half, and Andrew Knack warns such promises may be unrealistic.
• Polling also shows that 62% of Edmontonians believe the city’s population is growing too fast, and over half say it has negatively affected their lives. Concerns are strongest among younger and lower-income residents struggling with affordability and housing. The issue of managing growth has become a central theme in the Mayoral race.
• Mayoral candidate Rahim Jaffer has promised free parking on evenings, weekends, overnights, and stat holidays, a 30-minute grace period for quick stops, and a lower daytime rate of $2.50/hour.

Taproot partnered with the Edmonton Public Library for a mayoral forum at the Stanley A. Milner Branch on Oct. 9. The in-person event was sold out, and more than 6,000 people tuned into the livestream, which was recorded to allow you to watch it in full afterwards. Ten candidates shared their vision for Edmonton’s future: Ronald Stewart Billingsley, Jr., Tim Cartmell, Tony Caterina, Abdul Malik Chukwudi, Vanessa Denman, Andy Andrzej Gudanowski, Rahim Jaffer, Andrew Knack, Olney Tugwell, and Michael Walters.

Here’s a recap of what some of the candidates said about infrastructure, property taxes, and infill.

Infrastructure

Tim Cartmell said, if elected, he would focus on maintaining the city’s existing infrastructure. “We’re $1.9 billion behind the ideal spend on maintaining the stuff that we already have. That is going to be absolutely key in the next four years — making sure that we actually are pushing back and biting it back against that deficit,” he said. Cartmell pitched private-public partnerships and working with other levels of government to reduce pressure on property taxes when paying for that infrastructure.

Andrew Knack noted that the city’s population has grown in record numbers over the last few years, and said most newcomers have moved into suburban communities beyond Anthony Henday Drive. “Those are areas that don’t have services — we are short for fire halls right now outside the Henday, we need the recreation spaces, we need libraries, we need parks,” he said. “We have a number of locations where their roadway infrastructure isn’t enough.”

Michael Walters said he wants to negotiate a fair deal between the city and the provincial government for infrastructure grants that can take some pressure off paying for infrastructure through revenue collected through property taxes.

Rahim Jaffer said, if elected, that he’d stop the “shotgun” approach to adding infrastructure, where the city builds several large projects simultaneously. “What I’d like to do is focus on some of the bigger infrastructure projects, and get those done within a certain quadrant of the city. As I mentioned, if there’s emergency issues that come up, we can move people accordingly, but just in order to allow those major arteries to remain open and clear, it’s very important to have that oversight, because otherwise you have this gridlock that continues to plague most of our citizens trying to get around.”

Property taxes

While some candidates have discussed cutting services to lower taxes, Walters proposed taxing only to a level that makes the city competitive for businesses, provides excellent public services, and promotes livability. “We certainly need to look at our budgets and our tax increases through those three lenses and make sure that we are not going much past inflation, particularly at a time when families are already struggling dearly to pay the bills,” Walters said.

Knack said partnering with the private sector wouldn’t fully address the budget pressure the city faces, and that he’s proposed a “responsible budget, one that is still going to invest in our city.”

Infill

Cartmell said infill housing should be focused on large swaths of mostly-empty land, like Blatchford, the Exhibition Lands, and surface parking lots in the east portion of downtown. “This is where we can build the housing that we really need to take the pressure off of established neighborhoods,” he said.

Knack said the city needs to densify to avoid growing only through suburban expansion. He pointed to recent zoning bylaw amendments that reduce the footprint of some infill developments in mature neighbourhoods. “We also need to do more on preserving mature trees — we’re one of the few large cities in this country that doesn’t have a mature tree protection bylaw,” Knack said.

You can hear from the 10 mayoral candidates who attended the forum by watching the recording of the event. Advance polls are open until Oct. 11. Election day is Oct. 20. Visit the Taproot vote site to find your ward and where to vote. You can also take the Taproot survey to match with candidates and take a look at how much money candidates have raised in the first part of the election period.

Watch a rep[lay of the debate by clicking the link.

Campaign Roundup - Day 22

• Happy Thanksgiving! We’re thankful for you - the readers who make our work possible. Your engagement, feedback, and encouragement help us keep pushing for common sense and accountability in our communities. We hope you enjoy a warm and restful holiday surrounded by family, friends, and plenty of good food.
• Mayoral candidates also shared their messages of thanks. Andrew Knack thanked his volunteers, supporters, and family, Rahim Jaffer shared a video message, and Michael Walters wished a Happy Thanksgiving to his supporters and their families too.
• A new analysis of City Council’s voting records shows that most Councillors voted together the majority of the time over the past four years, with only Karen Principe and Jennifer Rice frequently breaking from the group. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi aligned most closely with Councillors Keren Tang and Jo-Anne Wright and led in overall vote success, while Principe and Rice often opposed the majority. Mayoral candidates Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack voted together 72% of the time and about 75% with Sohi. Nine incumbents are seeking re-election.
• Election Day is Monday, October 20th. Polls will be open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. You can find locations - as well as voter information - on the City’s website.

Campaign Roundup - Day 21:

• Advance voting is now over. The next opportunity for voting is on Election Day - Monday, October 20th. Polls will be open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. You can find locations - as well as voter information - on the City’s website.
• More than 41,000 ballots were cast over the five days of advance voting. An average of 8,268 votes per day marks a nearly 30% increase from 2021, despite shorter polling hours. The busiest day was Saturday, with 10,698 votes recorded.
• Groups are mobilizing underrepresented communities to increase voter engagement. The University of Alberta Students’ Union is encouraging student pledges to vote and highlighting issues like housing, transit, and affordability. YEG Muslim Vote is working to ensure City policies reflect the needs of Muslim and other ethnic communities, focusing on affordability, housing, transit, and candidates’ stances on international and local issues. interVivos is engaging newcomers, 2SLGBTQ+ residents, students, and people experiencing homelessness through forums to foster discussion and leadership on public safety and community challenges.
• Mayoral candidate Rahim Jaffer shared a Thanksgiving weekend post encouraging Edmontonians to discuss the municipal election using five prompts: feelings of safety compared to four years ago, experiences with crime on the LRT, concerns about high taxes amid declining services, the City’s handling of basic services like snow removal and garbage pickup, and readiness to vote for change on October 20th.

Campaign Roundup - Day 20

• Today is the last day for advance voting. Polls are open until 8:00 pm. Polling locations and voter information are available online.
• A new poll shows that almost half of Edmontonians remain undecided just over a week before the municipal election, an unusually high number this close to voting day. Among decided and leaning voters, Andrew Knack leads with 41%, followed by Tim Cartmell on 21%. Omar Mohammad and Michael Walters are both tied on 10%, while Rahim Jaffer is at 7% and Tony Caterina is at 6%.
• In a Mayoral forum at Stanley Milner Library, candidates focused on core services, public safety, infill, infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility, outlining plans from shifting development to open areas, amending zoning bylaws, and freezing taxes, to improving relations with the Province and police. Candidates also highlighted priorities like libraries, arts, transit, and homelessness. You can watch the debate online here.
• Mayoral candidate Omar Mohammad criticized Council’s purchase of electric buses, which later faced safety concerns that contributed to the bus company’s bankruptcy. Mohammad says the decision was wasteful and driven by vanity, promising that, as Mayor, he would prevent such spending and safeguard public funds.

Campaign Roundup - Day 19

• Advance voting is still ongoing! You can cast a ballot until October 11th and polls are open from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Polling locations and voter information are available online.
• With election day approaching, University of Alberta students are working to boost youth voter turnout. The Students’ Union and the Edmonton Student Alliance are hosting events like a mayoral forum and on-campus advance voting to make local politics more accessible. Many students admit they know little about the candidates or doubt municipal politics can bring real change, but organizers stress that City issues like housing, transit, and affordability directly affect students.
• According to Taproot, interim campaign disclosures show Mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell has raised $834,552 as of July 31st, nearly matching the combined total of all other candidates for Mayor, Council, and School Trustee, which is $842,593. The next-highest mayoral fundraiser is Omar Mohammad with $115,730.
• Former Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel calls the 2025 municipal election “crucial” for the city’s future, warning that downtown Edmonton is struggling with safety, cleanliness, and declining vitality. He urges voters to support leadership that can address public safety, infill challenges, construction chaos, and social disorder while building consensus among Council members. Mandel emphasizes the need for creative partnerships with police and the Province and a Mayor and Council committed to improving all areas of the city.

Campaign Roundup - Day 18

• Mayoral candidate Andrew Knack is pledging full transparency by publicly disclosing all campaign donations before Election Day, rather than waiting until after the vote as current election law allows. He argues that voters deserve to know who candidates may be influenced by before casting their ballots and is challenging others to follow suit to keep City Hall independent and accountable to residents.
• Rahim Jaffer, also running for Mayor, visited Edmonton’s Chinatown to witness the challenges residents and businesses are facing, describing the situation as chaotic and neglected. He said that despite the hardship, there is still hope, as the community is ready to vote for change and move beyond the long-standing status quo.
• Mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell promised to reset the budget each year using zero-based budgeting, conduct a Blue Ribbon Review to cut waste, and lower business taxes to improve competitiveness.
• Michael Walters, another candidate for Mayor, shared his plan to address homelessness, calling it a “life or death issue” that demands immediate and collaborative action. He pledged to unite all levels of government, social agencies, and Indigenous leaders to create a plan with clear targets to eliminate homelessness. His proposals include expanding housing with wraparound supports, rebuilding crisis response teams, improving coordination between emergency services and social agencies, and investing in youth and family prevention programs.