Unofficial results for 2021 Lethbridge municipal election

In Lethbridge, there were some local questions constituents had a chance to vote on. One was if our city should adopt a ward system. Over 60 per cent of you said yes. It would be implemented by the 2025 election. Also, more than 55 per cent of respondents voted in favour of constructing a new 3rd bridge for the city by the year 2030. Returning Officer for the election, Bonnie Hilford, says she’s encouraged by the 35 per cent voter turnout this time around, and adds that the city was able to increase voter turnout by seven per cent since the last election in 2017. She said the city is hoping even more will come out and vote in the next municipal election in 2025.

“This election saw two ballots. That did take time for the voters to decide on who they’re going to vote through at the polls. It did take quite some time. Some people actually spent an hour deciding who they wanted to vote for. That did slow down the process. Maybe in 2025 if there’s only one ballot we would see a higher turnout. We had 14 voting stations. They were steady, and some were up to a half-hour to 45 minute wait times. In the future maybe we’ll have more voting stations as well.”

There were over 81,000 eligible voters in Lethbridge this election with over 28,000 ballots cast.

New mayor of Lethbridge:

• Blaine Hyggen

There are four new candidates that will serve on Lethbridge City Council, along with four incumbents:

• Rajko Dodic *Councillor from 2004 to 2010 & Mayor from 2010 to 2013
• Belinda Crowson *incumbent
• Jenn Schmidt-Rempel
• Ryan Parker *incumbent
• John Middleton-Hope
• Mark Campbell *incumbent
• Jeff Carlson *incumbent
• Nick Paladino

The 2021 Municipal Election results will become official at noon on Friday, October 22. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Monday, October 25 at 1:30 p.m.

The seven Public School Board Trustees-Elect to serve a four-year term in office are below:

• Andrea Andreachuk
• Christine Light
• Kristina Larkin
• Tyler Demers
• Allison Purcell
• Genny Steed
• Craig Whitehead

The five Separate School Board Trustees-Elect to serve a four-year term in office are below:

• Carmen P. Mombourquette
• Linda Ellefson
• Tricia Doherty
• Roisin Gibb
• Bob Spitzig

There were three Senate candidates that won on the provincial ballot:

• Pam Davidson
• Erika Barootes
• Mykhailo Martyniouk

59 per cent of residents voted to end equalization payments. 51 per cent voted to get rid of Daylight Savings Time.

Through the advance voting opportunities, 9,804 Lethbridge voters (about 12 per cent of eligible voters) cast their ballot for 2021 Municipal Election. To compare, during the advance vote in 2017, there were 3,912 voters, or about five per cent of eligible voters.