Double duty at the polls? Federal and Alberta municipal elections fall on same day

What happens when two elections fall on the same day?

Voters in Alberta could find out next year. Both the Alberta municipal elections – set for the third Monday of October, every four years – and the federal election are scheduled for Oct. 20, 2025.

It’s a possibility that has never occurred in Alberta’s history.

Voting in two elections on the same day could have both positive and negative implications.

It could, on the one hand, increase voter turnout, as those choosing their local representatives might also feel compelled to vote federally at the same time.

On the other hand, those who volunteer for elections typically do so on both the local and federal level, meaning volunteer numbers would have to increase exponentially.

Political scientist Lori Williams says while the possibility of both elections falling on the same date is technically there, it is unlikely to happen.

“It’s important to note that around that time, in October 2025, there are a number of elections occurring in the weeks prior and after that for territorial and municipal elections in some other provinces, so all of those could affect voter turnout,” said the Mount Royal University associate professor.

“And my guess is that the federal government would look at what would be the best date to try to avoid voter fatigue or to promote higher voter turnout.”

While municipal election dates are fixed, federal election dates are not and can be called at any time by the Governor General on or prior to the deadline. An amendment to the Canada Elections Act could also pass to push back the date of the federal election by one week.

The City of Edmonton says Edmonton Elections “will ensure we are in alignment with legislative requirements.”

“This is a province-wide issue and while this situation is not ideal, Edmonton Elections remains committed to delivering an accessible, inclusive, equitable, ethical and safe election that complies with legislative requirements,” a spokesperson told CityNews.

“Edmonton would not be the only jurisdiction impacted by the potential concurrent election dates – the majority of school board and municipal elections in Alberta are scheduled to be held on the same date.”