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%.

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.

Candidates
Bold indicates elected, italics indicates incumbent.

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

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.

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.

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
(Italics indicate incumbent)

Mayor

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

Ward 1

 * Betty Kennedy
 * Andrew Knack - retail manager
 * Karen Leibovici - incumbent
 * Linda Sloan - incumbent

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
 * 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
 * Sheila McKay
 * Brian Edward Patterson
 * Deborah J. Peaker
 * Adil Pirhabi - accountant
 * 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

 * Bryan Anderson - incumbent
 * Don Iveson - non-profit manager
 * Brent Michalyk - carpenter, president of community league
 * Mike Nickel - incumbent

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