After much speculation about her future in the role, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek has announced her intent to run for re-election 2025.
A news release was issued Friday morning announcing her intention to run. It said Gondek’s re-election campaign will “emphasize her record of proactive leadership” and her vision for a city that “offers unparalleled opportunities” for residents while providing services.
“I felt it was very important to send a clear message to Calgarians that I’m still here, I intend to run again to make sure I can bring about that stability and trust in local government that’s needed,” Gondek said at a news conference Friday.
Gondek, who served as councillor for Ward 3 for one term before being elected Calgary’s 37th mayor in 2021, said she plans to run as an independent in the next municipal election, the first to include political parties at the municipal level.
She said that move would be the “kiss of death” for local representation.
The mayor touted the recently approved budget adjustment and keeping the overall property tax increase below inflation and population growth, as well as protecting low-income supports while investing in infrastructure.
She noted her campaign will be focused on Calgarians and “making life safer and more prosperous” for those who call the city home, while vowing to improve communication and trust.
Until then, Gondek said she would be a champion for the city and continue fighting for more funding from other orders of government.
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“The windfalls and surpluses the provincial and federal governments are enjoying right now cannot be off your back,” she said.
Gondek has faced dismal approval ratings since her term began, with the most recent poll from ThinkHQ Public Affairs showing only 26 per cent of Calgarians approved of the mayor in June of this year.
Marc Henry, the president of ThinkHQ, pointed to the city’s declaration of a climate emergency, citywide rezoning, property tax increases and the derailment of the Green Line LRT project as some issues that have dogged the mayor.
“The challenge for politicians, particularly when you’ve got that level of strong disapproval, is it’s hard to win people back,” Henry said. “It’s much easier to convince people who may not know much about you.”
The mayor acknowledged that she has faced challenges in her role, including a recall campaign against her and the critical rupture of the Bearspaw feeder main earlier this summer.
“Like anyone who takes on a new job, I had challenges I had to overcome, and this took place very publicly,” Gondek told reporters. “I took the time to listen to how I could do better, and how I could improve the way I need to serve Calgarians. Because in the end, no individual is perfect and I’m certainly no exception to that.”
The mayor joins former city councillor and mayoral candidate Jeff Davison as well as lawyer and former Calgary Police Commission chair Brian Thiessen as the only candidates who have officially announced their intention to run.
Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, said more candidates running conservative campaigns may benefit the mayor in the next election.
“That would be a pretty low mandate — in the last election she was well over 40 per cent,” Bratt told Global News. “You could win if there’s multiple conservatives running, but it’s not a guarantee and it wouldn’t be good the day after.”
Gondek said she has spoken with supporters and will formally assemble a campaign team when the election period kicks off in the new year.
The next municipal election is on Oct. 20, 2025.
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