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 (one being an incumbent) 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%.[1]

2007 Edmonton municipal election
October 15, 2007
Mayor and 12 councilors to Edmonton City Council
 
Candidate Stephen Mandel Don Koziak
Popular vote 98,751 38,027
Percentage 65.8 25.3
Mayor before election

Stephen Mandel

 Elected Mayor

Stephen Mandel

This was the last Edmonton city election to be held with multiple members elected in a contest. On July 22, 2009, City Council voted to change the electoral system of six wards electing two councillors each, to a system of 12 wards; each ward to be represented by a single councillor. The changes took effect for the 2010 election.[2]

Candidates

Bold indicates elected, italics indicates incumbent.

Mayor
Mayor[1]
CandidateVotes %
Stephen Mandel98,75165.80%
Don Koziak38,02725.34%
Dave Dowling2,6901.79%
George Lam2,6471.76%
Dustin Becker2,5681.71%
Bill Whatcott1,6651.11%
Peter T. Lefaivre1,4130.94%
Robert (Bob) Ligertwood1,2350.82%
Khaled Kheireddine1,0890.73%

Councillors

Each voter could cast two votes. Plurality block voting was used to elect members.

Councillors[1]
Ward 1Ward 2Ward 3
CandidateVotes %CandidateVotes %CandidateVotes %
Karen Leibovici17,87040.6%Kim Krushell12,76231.8%Ed Gibbons11,27828.9%
Linda Sloan14,75233.5%Ron Hayter11,07327.6%Tony Caterina9,12623.4%
Andrew Knack6,10913.9%Dave Loken7,02217.5%Harvey Voogd8,56522.0%
Betty Kennedy5,33812.1%Shelly Tupper4,86912.1%Chris Martin3,6999.5%
Ward 4 Kerry Hutton2,2625.6%Kyle Balombin3,2078.2%
Jane Batty9,80020.84Jabin Caouette2,1495.4%Thomas J. Tomilson1,5243.9%
Ben Henderson9,09219.34Shiu Wing Mak1,1162.9%
Lewis Cardinal8,90818.95Chris Roehrs4571.2%
Debbie Yeung7,66916.31 Ward 5Ward 6
Sheila McKay4,1878.91Bryan K. Anderson17,86733.8%Dave Thiele11,71623.4%
Hana Razga2,3975.10Don Iveson16,84831.8%Amarjeet Sohi10,50321.0%
Brent Thompson9221.96Mike Nickel14,59727.6%Chinwe Okelu10,25020.5%
Brian E. Patterson8871.89Brent Michalyk3,6106.8%Chuck McKenna9,22218.4%
Nyambura Mia Belcourt5721.22Lori G. Jeffrey-Heaney7,13614.2%
Thomas W. Roberts5141.09Tomas Dennis Vasquez1,2812.6%
Deborah J. Peaker4721.00
Adil Pirbhai4681.00
Jodi Flatt4580.97
Margaret Saunter3710.79
Brian Wissinck2980.63

Public school trustees
Edmonton Public Schools[1]
Ward AWard BWard C
Bev EsslingerAcclaimedKen Shipka4,71853.3%Sue Huff6,93261.6%
Wendy Keiver4,13546.7%Don Williams4,31438.4%
Ward DWard EWard F
Dave Colburn3,79550.94%Ken Gibson4,84952.7%Don Fleming6,27256.4%
Amanda Beisiegel3,65549.06%Neil MacDonald4,36047.3%Susan O'Neil4,85143.6%
Ward GWard HWard I
George Rice5,30636.1%Catherine Ripley10,64571.0%Gerry Gibeault5,72950.25%
Sheila Clifford-MacKay3,76525.6%Neil Robblee4,34029.0%Judith Axelson5,67349.75%
Marlene Spencer2,75918.8%
Terry J. McKinnon1,78312.1%
Myrna Freeman1,0707.3%

Separate school trustees

One trustee is elected from each ward, and the non-victorious candidate with the most total votes is also elected.[1]

Edmonton Catholic Schools[1]
Ward 1Ward 2Ward 3
CandidateVotes %CandidateVotes %CandidateVotes %
Debbie EngelAcclaimedJim Urlacher3,35239.7%Cindy Olsen4,17658.0%
Becky Kallal2,70432.0%Joe Filewych1,95027.1%
Luigi Esposito2,38328.2%Jim Shinkaruk1,07014.9%
Ward 4Ward 5Ward 6
Rudy ArcillaAcclaimedMarilyn Bergstra4,24463.0%Kara PelachAcclaimed
John Acheson2,49737.0%

Jim Urlacher served as the trustee from Ward 2 until his death on May 16, 2009.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

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.[4]

Ward 6

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

Candidates summaries

(Italics indicate incumbent)

Mayor
  • Dustin Becker - heavy equipment operator[6]
  • Dave Dowling - finished sixth in the 2004 mayor race
  • Khaled Kheireddine
  • Don Koziak - hotel owner[7]
  • George Lam - university graduate
  • Peter T. Lefaivre
  • Robert Ligertwood - business owner[8]
  • Stephen Mandel - incumbent
  • Bill Whatcott - social conservative activist

Ward 1

Ward 2
  • Jabin Caouette - finished ninth in the 2004 Ward 2 race
  • Ron Hayter - incumbent
  • Kerry Hutton - finished seventh in the 2004 Ward 2 race
  • Kim Krushell - incumbent
  • Dave Loken - finished third in the 2004 Ward 2 race
  • Shelley Tupper - federal employee

Ward 3
  • Kyle Balombin - finished fifth in the 2004 Ward 3 race
  • Tony Caterina - finished third in the 2004 Ward 3 race
  • Ed Gibbons - incumbent
  • Shiu Wing Mak - internet technician[9]
  • Chris Martin - CBC production assistant
  • Chris Roehrs
  • Thomas James Tomilson - finished seventh in the 2004 mayor race
  • Harvey Voogd - political activist

Ward 4

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

  • Jane Batty - incumbent
  • Nyambura Mia Belcourt
  • Lewis Cardinal
  • Jodi Flatt
  • Ben Henderson - theatre director[7]
  • Sheila McKay
  • Brian Edward Patterson
  • Deborah J. Peaker
  • Adil Pirhabi - accountant[10]
  • Hana Razga
  • Thomas Roberts - finished fifth in the 2004 Ward 4 race
  • Margaret Saunter
  • Brent Thompson
  • Brian Wissink
  • Debbie Yeung - finished fourth in the 2004 Ward 4 race

Ward 5

Ward 6

With the retirement of Terry Cavanagh from Ward 6, at least one new face from Ward 6 would have a spot on Council.[11]

  • Lori G. Jeffrey-Heaney - former councilor and then mayor of Val Quentin, Alberta
  • Chuck McKenna - transit operator, independent consultant[12]
  • Chinwe Okelu - finished third in the 2004 Ward 6 race
  • Amarjeet Sohi - transit operator[13]
  • Dave Thiele - incumbent
  • Tomas Dennis Vasquez - program co-ordinator[14]

References
  1. "2007 Election - Official Results" (PDF). City of Edmonton. October 19, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
  2. "City of Edmonton". www.edmonton.ca. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  3. "News Release" (PDF). Edmonton Catholic Schools. May 18, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  4. "Newcomer Iveson knocks Nickel out of the ring". Edmonton Journal. October 16, 2007. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
  5. "A victory for big ideas". Edmonton Journal. October 17, 2007. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
  6. "Is the race for mayor Edmonton's other fringe festival?". Vue Weekly. October 9, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  7. "Edmonton voters turf Ward 5 councillor, re-elect mayor". CBC News. October 16, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  8. "Survey Says: Robert (Bob) Ligertwood". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. September 22, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  9. "Survey Says: Shiu Wing Mak". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. October 4, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  10. "Survey says: Adil Pirbhai". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. October 8, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  11. Zabjek, Alexandra (October 13, 2007). "Vacancy draws lots of eager contenders to replace icon at city hall". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  12. "Survey Says: Chuck McKenna". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. September 30, 2007. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  13. Staples, David (May 11, 2012). "Sohi's LRT dream is right vision". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  14. "Survey Says: Tomas Dennis Vasquez". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. September 30, 2007. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
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