Jeromy Farkas vows to 'leave the ideology at the door' as Calgary's new mayor

Former barbara ward 11 councillor Jeromy Farkas has narrowly bunk Communities number one leader Sonya sharp-worded by to a lesser extent than a percentage point, according to unofficial results of the 2025 Calgary mayoral election.

Following a neck-and-neck race with Sharp overnight, results released by the city say Farkas received 91,068 votes, while Sharp has 90,484.

Fewer than 600 votes separate the two front-runners. Under provincial law, if the results are within half a percentage point of the total number of ballots cast for mayor, a recount may be requested. In this case, that difference is approximately 0.17 per cent of the total 348,626 ballots cast, meaning Sharp is eligible to apply for a recount.

If the numbers hold, Farkas will be Calgary's 38th mayor. He'll also be the first to unseat an incumbent mayor since 1980.

Speaking to media outside city hall on Tuesday afternoon, Farkas said he had spoken to Jyoti Gondek to thank her for her service as mayor.

"She's given so much to Calgary, and I look forward to building on that work. And at the end of the day, we all love this city, and that's what unites us," Farkas said.

Jeromy Farkas vows to work with all political stripes as Calgary's new mayor

Farkas added he is in a new place now compared to when he left council and promised to work with both progressive and conservative Calgarians.

"That's my commitment as Calgary's next mayor, is to leave the ideology at the door and to focus on the results, particularly around safety and affordability," Farkas said.

Marked by complaints of long lineups, this year’s election is also shaping up to see the lowest voter turnout in years. Final unofficial voter turnout numbers will be provided Tuesday evening.

Farkas was the runner-up in the 2021 election, losing to Gondek. Though Farkas may come out on top this time around, fewer Calgarians supported him in this election than in 2021, when he received 116,698 votes to Gondek’s 176,344.

In taking a second run at the mayor’s chair, the former councillor said he was running in opposition to what he saw as an out-of-touch council that had lost its way on jobs, housing and safety.

He decided to run as an independent candidate in the first municipal election that allowed party affiliations on the ballot at the local level. 

Sharp, another former councillor and mayoral candidate with the Communities First political party, ran a campaign focused on public safety and infrastructure, promising to hire 500 more police officers. 

Gondek, like Farkas, eschewed the party system and came in third.

Farkas will return to council in his new role alongside at least eight new councillors, given how many incumbents are not running this election.

The full makeup of the new council won’t be known until later on Tuesday, as the count is being done by hand and not by electronic tabulator. The provincial government banned the use of electronic vote tabulators in 2024.

Farkas, who grew up in southeast Calgary in the community of Dover, graduated from the University of Calgary with a political science degree and is a former senior fellow at the Manning Centre.

In 2017, he was elected as councillor for Ward 11, becoming one of Calgary’s youngest city councillors. On council, he quickly drew kudos from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, but also frequently butted heads with his fellow members.

After losing the 2021 election, Farkas turned his focus to the non-profit sector, first hiking the 4,270-kilometre Pacific Crest Trail to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area. As he neared the end of that hike, he told Daybreak Alberta in 2022 that his time on the road had provided him time to reflect.

"I thought that I understood what teamwork was. And in hindsight, I really didn't. Not until you're climbing an ice wall hand in hand with somebody beside you. If they fall, you fall. And if you fall, they fall," he said.

"It doesn't click until you're in situations like that. And I think it played out in some of my political career. Looking back, in hindsight, I realize there's quite a bit of ideological jackassery that just has no place out here on the trail."

"I've helped bring together ranchers and environmentalists, the business and the grassroots, conservatives and progressives — to be able to fight for and protect what matters most," he said.

“Leadership means standing firm in your convictions, yet your track record shows repeated reversals on major city issues,” Davison said. “How can Calgarians trust your judgment when your positions change?”

“Leadership means doing better when you know better,” Farkas said in response. “When the facts change, as they have in the last 10 years on various issues, I'm willing to change my mind."

Gondek, who defeated 26 challengers in 2021 to become the first female mayor in the city's history, conceded the 2025 mayoral race at a campaign party at the Palomino Smokehouse in Calgary shortly before midnight Monday.

“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, and I'm profoundly grateful for the privilege of having served this incredible city, the best city in the world,” Gondek told supporters.

"Even though tonight marks the end of this campaign, it is certainly not the end of my work here in this city. I love Calgary. There's absolutely no doubt about that. We have come through so much together, and I have no doubt that our city's best days are still ahead."

Jyoti Gondek concedes in Calgary's mayor race

Brian Thiessen, a lawyer and former chair of the Calgary Police Commission, placed fifth in the race for mayor. He was the mayoral candidate with The Calgary Party.

In a statement, Thiessen wrote that while the results weren’t what he had hoped for, the party had “built something real: a movement of citizens who believe city hall must put Calgarians first.”

“The work doesn’t stop here,” Thiessen added. “Our team will keep pushing for the same ideas we championed throughout this campaign, including safer communities, housing, and a city hall that listens.”

Successful city councillor candidates are expected Tuesday afternoon while ballots for trustee are expected later Tuesday.

Follow results — as they roll in — in the races for city council and school trustee here.

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