Undecided voters dominate as Calgary race tightens, Edmonton frontrunner emerges

With just over a week until Alberta’s municipal elections, new polling shows uncertainty reigns in both of the province’s largest cities — though for very different reasons.

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With just over a week until Alberta’s municipal elections, new polling shows uncertainty reigns in both of the province’s largest cities — though for very different reasons.

According to surveys by Janet Brown Opinion Research between Oct. 1 and 8, more than a third of Calgarians and nearly half of Edmontonians remain undecided about who should lead their cities.

In Calgary, the race is a dead heat. Among decided and leaning voters, former councillor Jeromy Farkas leads with 27 per cent support, followed closely by incumbent Jyoti Gondek and councillor Sonya Sharp, each at 23 per cent.

Jeff Davison trails at 16 per cent, with Brian Thiessen at 8 per cent. However, the polling found that 34 per cent of voters are still undecided.

By contrast, in Edmonton, current councillor and bike lane supporter Andrew Knack holds a strong lead among decided voters with 41 per cent support, while fellow councillor Tim Cartmell sits at 21 per cent.

Other contenders, including Michael Walters, Omar Mohammad, Rahim Jaffer, and Tony Caterina, are severely trailing. Still, 46 per cent of respondents have yet to choose a candidate — an unusually high share so close to election day.

Pollster Janet Brown said both surveys reveal “remarkably high” indecision rates that could make either city’s outcome unpredictable.

Brown’s firm surveyed 1,000 residents in each city through the Trend Research online panel, with demographic quotas matching Statistics Canada data.

Public safety, city spending, and infrastructure remain dominant issues in Calgary, with candidates exchanging blows at a Wednesday debate.

“If you don’t have a safe city, you have nothing,” said councillor Sonya Sharp. “People won’t move here; people will leave here.”

Mayor Jyoti Gondek defended her record on crime and social disorder, stating, “We will not make open drug use something that is normalized. We are banning it.”

Former councillor Jeromy Farkas argued against Alberta separation, framing Calgary as part of “Team Canada.” He also highlighted that one-third of Calgarians were not born in North America, celebrating this fact due to Calgarians’ youth and education levels.

In Edmonton, observers say voter fatigue and a lack of new faces may be driving the extraordinary indecision. Most of the leading contenders have previously served on the city council, despite polling highlighting that the majority of residents are unhappy with the city’s direction.

Knack, an incumbent councillor, voted against halting future bike lane projects for further public consultation. This was despite a formal petition indicating majority opposition from Delton residents to a project already underway, which was ignored.

Both elections are on October 20, with advance voting already in progress.