Farkas Unseats Calgary’s Incumbent Mayor Gondek, Knack Wins Edmonton’s Mayoral Race

Calgary’s new mayor-elect Jeromy Farkas speaks to reporters outside City Hall in Calgary on Oct. 21, 2025. The Canadian Press/Bill Graveland

Former city Councillor Jeromy Farkas has unseated incumbent Jyoti Gondek to become Calgary’s next mayor, while long-time city Councillor Andrew Knack won Edmonton’s mayoral race after municipal elections in Alberta on Oct. 20.

Edmonton Mayor-elect Andrew Knack speaks to supporters in Edmonton on Oct. 21, 2025. The Canadian Press/Aaron Sousa

In Calgary, Farkas narrowly defeated incumbent city Councillor and former city employee Sonya Sharp, while Gondek came in third, according to Elections Calgary results.

The unofficial tally indicates Farkas won by just 585 ballots over Sharp, who received 90,480 votes compared to his 91,065. Gondek garnered 71,397 votes.

The small margin of victory means Sharp is eligible to apply for a recount under provincial law. A request for a recount may be made if the results fall within half a percentage point of the total ballots cast for the mayoral election. In this instance, that difference is roughly 0.17 percent of the total 348,626 ballots that were cast.

If his win holds, it will be a political comeback of sorts for Farkas, who ran and lost against Gondek in the 2021 mayoral race after serving as the councillor for Ward 11 from 2017 to 2021. It will also make him the first candidate to unseat an incumbent mayor since 1980.

Farkas, Sharp, and Gondek were widely considered to be the top three contenders in the race based on polling earlier this month. Former Ward 6 councillor Jeff Davison and former police commission chair Brian Thiessen rounded out the top five. Davison placed fourth with 47,372 votes and Thiessen fifth with 40,519.

“Over the last eight or nine months that we’ve been in this campaign, we’ve shared a vision for Calgary that was positive, forward looking, and built on respect for every dollar and respect for every person,” Farkas said just after midnight at a party for his supporters. “I’m so deeply proud that we ran a campaign grounded in ideas, and we did it the right way.”

Gondek, a former city councillor who became Calgary’s mayor after the last election in 2021, addressed her supporters shortly before midnight after conceding defeat.

Incumbent Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek speaks at an event in the city on April 25, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh)

She called serving as mayor the “greatest privilege” of her life.

“This didn’t end up the way that we had all hoped, but I’m standing here very proud of what we have built together,” Gondek told supporters. “Leading the city is going to be hard work, and I wish whoever the winner is success in taking on that responsibility.”

Edmonton Vote

Knack took an early lead in Edmonton’s mayoral vote count, with fellow city Councillor Tim Cartmell trailing behind in second place. As of the afternoon of Oct. 21, Knack had 38.4 percent of the votes, followed by Cartmell with 29.5 percent.

Cartmell conceded the race in the afternoon of Oct. 21, congratulating Knack on his win.

“Edmonton chose independent leadership with real solutions that will move us to a stronger city together. This victory belongs to all of us,” Knack said in his victory speech on Oct. 21.

“I’m excited to build a stronger Edmonton, together,” he added on social media.

The mayoral race in Edmonton this year didn’t include the incumbent, as Amarjeet Sohi decided against seeking re-election. Sohi, a former city councillor and cabinet minister under Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, took a temporary leave of absence as mayor to make an unsuccessful run in the April federal election as a Liberal candidate.

Incumbent Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi speaks to media about the Alberta 2025 budget in Edmonton, on Feb. 27, 2025. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson

“If I leave you with anything, know that this was the privilege of my life to serve my community as your Mayor, and I am deeply grateful for all the support and progress we have made together,” Sohi said in a social media post on Oct. 19.

This year’s mayoral, council, and school board trustee elections across the province were held under new rules passed by the provincial legislature, including a requirement that all votes be counted by hand.

Another new feature is the introduction of municipal political parties in the two major cities.

Official election results for both Edmonton and Calgary will be posted on Oct. 24.