2007 Edmonton municipal election


The 2007 Edmonton municipal election was held Monday, October 15, 2007 to elect a mayor and 12 councillors to the city council, eight of the nine trustees to Edmonton Public Schools, and four of the seven trustees to the Edmonton Catholic Schools. One incumbent public school trustee had no challengers, and three separate school trustee candidates were unchallenged. Since 1968, provincial legislation has required every municipality to hold triennial elections. Of the estimated 560,117 eligible voters, only 152,576 turned in a ballot, a voter turnout of 27.2%.

Candidates

Bold indicates elected, italics indicates incumbent.

Mayor

Councillors

Public school trustees

Separate school trustees

One trustee is elected from each ward, and the non-victorious candidate with the most total votes is also elected.
Jim Urlacher served as the trustee from Ward 2 until his death on May 16, 2009.

Reaction

Mayoral

Incumbent Stephen Mandel won an absolute majority of the votes for mayor, far ahead of the second candidate Don Koziak, however the lack of a close race left voter turnout very low, 27 percent. Observers saw it as an endorsement of Mandel's more ambitious attitude and free-spending ways compared to past mayors, as well as a mandate to push the province for more funding and neighbouring communities for great regional planning.

Council

Ward 4

Ben Henderson just managed to fend off Lewis Cardinal by 184 to fill the vacant seat.

Ward 5

Ward 5 provided the biggest surprise of the election as incumbent and former mayoral candidate Mike Nickel was upset by 28-year-old newcomer Don Iveson. Iveson received 2,000 more votes than Nickel. Nickel was the only incumbent not re-elected.

Ward 6

This ward was exceptionally close with just 466 votes separating first and third place.

Candidates summaries

Mayor

Ward 1

With the retirement of Michael Phair from Ward 4, at least one new face from Ward 4 would have a spot on Council.
With the retirement of Terry Cavanagh from Ward 6, at least one new face from Ward 6 would have a spot on Council.