5 Things You Might Not Know About the Upcoming Municipal Election

1. City Council wasn’t always made up of City Councillors

Before the 2013 election, Councillors were actually called Aldermen. It was changed to use gender neutral language and remove barriers for women running for office.

Municipal elections are one of the easiest ways to engage with democracy, and this was another way to make running for City Council accessible to more people. Speaking of which, did you know…

2. Most people can run for city council

Almost any Calgarian can run for City Council. 

As long as you have been a resident of the City of Calgary for six months, and meet the requirements, you can run for City Council! 

The process is pretty straightforward. Candidates announce and register, pay a deposit of $100, and obtain 100 signatures from eligible voters. Easy to remember, 100 and 100!

Then candidates start campaigning, getting the word out by talking to their neighbours about their priorities. This is where volunteers can make a real difference—people passionate about the impact this candidate can have on our city.

3. This is the first election with the new addition of municipal political parties

Last year, Alberta’s provincial government introduced legislation that allowed for the creation of municipal political parties.

This comes as a shock as Albertans have made it clear through multiple surveys they are overwhelmingly against introducing political parties to municipal elections. Read our earlier blog post about the impact of political parties on our election.

Partisan politics divide voters based on differences. Political labels become more important than actual ideas and common hopes for our city. By getting the word out in our communities, we can elect those that will provide real solutions for Calgary.

Candidates who passionately share their ideas for council with their neighbours, building volunteer support, and knocking on doors are far more likely to succeed—regardless of party.

4. Campaigns are won by volunteers

Winning campaigns for City Council can be relatively low cost. Those who won in 2021 had total donations as low as $13.5k, but every successful campaign had one thing in common. 

Volunteers. 

People willing to donate their time, money, or talent to help them win. They value the issues that candidates are raising and want to see those issues addressed on council.

You can get involved by donating, delivering signs, or attending a campaign event. But the simplest and most effective way to volunteer is by doorknocking. Getting the word out in your community on a personal level goes a long way. 

Doorknocking helps to identify voters and introduce candidates to all their neighbours.

A conversation with someone in person increases their likelihood of actually voting by up to 10%.

With Calgary’s last municipal election having a 46% turnout, ensuring voters get out to the polls for many new candidates this is crucial. It also gives candidates a good opportunity to hear from their communities and to better understand the issues facing each part of their ward.

Volunteers are the reason candidates win. 

5. Calgary’s Future will be endorsing candidates

We’ll be releasing our endorsements for City Council up until the election in the fall. We’ve already sourced questions from Calgarians from across the city so we can figure out which candidates are going to truly make our city better.

We’ll endorse candidates based on their platforms and how well those platforms align with the priorities and values of you, and other everyday Calgarians. As we announce our endorsements, we’ll share ways you can take action. 

It’s going to be a major election for our city. We’re facing a ton of problems. The cost of living crisis, housing affordability, the Green Line, recreation funding… we need real solutions and we need them now. 

Candidates are going to need all the support they can get.