Calgary municipal election 2025

October 18 2025—

The missing voice at city hall

Voter apathy among young people is nothing new. For decades, polls have shown that students and young adults consistently vote at lower rates than older generations, despite being the largest voting bloc in Canada. It’s a paradox: young Canadians have the demographic power to shape elections, yet many stay home on voting day.

This isn’t because youth are indifferent to democracy. Far from it.

Research shows young people participate politically in different ways — through activism, community organizing and online advocacy — rather than through the ballot box. But as the upcoming municipal election approaches, electoral participation matters more than ever. Voting is one of the most direct ways to make your voice heard and influence the decisions that affect your daily life.

From climate anxiety and rising tuition to precarious employment and unaffordable housing, young Canadians face unique pressures. Yet they rarely see these issues reflected in campaign platforms or council priorities. Representation matters, and when young people don’t see themselves mirrored in the political landscape, disengagement becomes almost inevitable.

Mount Royal University (MRU) political scientist Lori Williams recently told CBC that when youth don’t vote, candidates pay less attention to them. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle — low turnout signals low political value, leading to policies that further alienate younger voters. Williams pointed to the widening generational divide on issues like housing, where many young Albertans find it nearly impossible to secure an affordable home.

The numbers underscore the urgency. Alberta’s youth unemployment rate has climbed more than three per cent since last August, now sitting at 17 per cent for those aged 15 to 24, according to the province’s economic dashboard. For a generation facing unstable work and rising costs, municipal decisions around zoning, transportation and community investment are not abstract. They are deeply personal.

This election also introduces a significant shift in Calgary’s political landscape. For the first time, municipal candidates can be affiliated with political parties, following the provincial government’s revision of election rules last year. Three registered parties — the Calgary Party, A Better Calgary Party and Communities First — will compete alongside independent candidates. Voters will choose a mayor, a ward councillor and either a public or Catholic school trustee.

Municipal governments are the level of government that touch our lives most directly. They manage drinking water, garbage collection, public transit, emergency services, parks and recreation. They decide how land is developed, how roads are maintained and how environmental impacts are mitigated. They oversee social housing, libraries and community programs — the things that make neighbourhoods livable and sustainable.

For Calgary’s young residents, this election isn’t just about who occupies City Hall — it’s about the kind of city we want to inherit. With a worsening housing crisis, uncertainty surrounding the Green Line project and ongoing debates about climate resilience and urban growth, youth participation is no longer optional.

If students and young adults don’t show up to vote, others will make those decisions for them. Your vote is your leverage, and it’s one of the few tools that guarantees your concerns can’t be ignored.

So, when polls open this fall, make the trip. Bring your friends. Talk about the issues. Ask hard questions. This is your city, and your ballot is your voice.

– Vama Saini, Editor-in-Chief

MAYORAL CANDIDATES

Meet your mayoral candidates: Jeff Davison

Mayoral candidate Grant Prior outlines mayoral platform

Larry Heather’s faith-driven bid for mayor

Mayoral candidate Jaeger Gustafson strives to make Calgary a leader in industry, safety and education

Jyoti Gondek’s bid for a second term

What a resilient Calgary looks like for mayoral candidate Sarah Elder

Jeromy Farkas reruns on a platform of collaboration and affordability

Brian Thiessen’s centrist vision for Calgary

Sonya Sharp’s bid to make Calgary safer and more affordable

WARD 7 CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES