Former Ward 11 council member Jeromy Farkas has emerged as the victor in the 2025 Calgary mayoral election, narrowly defeating Communities First leader Sonya Sharp by less than one percentage point based on unofficial results. Sharp has indicated her intention to request a recount after Farkas secured 91,068 votes compared to Sharp’s 90,484, with a difference of fewer than 600 votes separating the two candidates.
City officials have stated that if the margin of victory is within half a percentage point of the total ballots cast for mayor at a specific polling station, a recount can be sought for that station. The overall city-wide results show a slim gap of approximately 0.17% between Farkas and Sharp out of the total 348,626 votes cast.
In a statement, Sharp emphasized the need for a recount to ensure the accuracy of the results, acknowledging the tight race and the importance of verifying the counting procedures. Meanwhile, Farkas expressed gratitude towards incumbent Mayor Jyoti Gondek for her service and pledged to continue building upon her efforts.
Despite complaints of long queues, this year’s election is projected to record the lowest voter turnout in recent years. Farkas, who previously ran for mayor in 2021, framed his campaign as a response to what he perceived as a disconnected city council on key issues such as employment, housing, and public safety.
Gondek, who conceded the race, highlighted the accomplishments made during her term and expressed optimism for Calgary’s future. The new council makeup, along with the final voter turnout figures, are expected to be disclosed later today. The provincial ban on electronic vote tabulators in 2024 has resulted in a manual counting process for this election cycle.