Acceptable advertising

• Candidates cannot use an image of a ballot in their advertising. The candidate’s name with an “X” beside it is not considered to be an image of a ballot.
• Any use of the Elections Airdrie logo in candidate campaign advertising material is not permitted.

Signs

• Refer to the Land Use Bylaw. Email planning@airdrie.ca for more information.

Apartment, condo buildings and mobile parks access

• Candidates, official agents and campaign workers should have access to each residence in a building containing two or more residences or to each residence in a mobile home park.
• You are responsible for providing each campaign worker with Form 12 (to be determined) – Campaign worker proof of identification. Form 12 may be reproduced in as many copies as are required.
• Form will be available closer to the election.

Campaigning and advertising at voting stations

• Campaigning and/or advertising is not allowed inside a voting station or on the property around the station during the Advance Vote and Election Day. Displaying or distributing campaign materials such as buttons, signs, cars with banners and t-shirts inside or around voting stations is not allowed.
• The Presiding Deputy Returning Officer will remove all non-compliant advertising which contravenes the Local Authorities Election Act and ask a person to leave the voting station.

Candidates for councillor, mayor and school board trustee, or anyone acting on behalf of a candidate, are responsible for ensuring contributions are within the campaign finance rules. You and your official agent are strongly encouraged to review Part 5.1 of the Local Authorities Election Act, Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure, that outlines all campaign finance rules and seek your own legal advice when needed.

Duties of a candidate

During the campaign period, if you are a nominated candidate, or have submitted a notice of intent to be nominated as a candidate your duties include, but are not limited to:

• Opening a campaign account at a financial institution once total contributions exceed $1,000.
• Depositing all contributions into the campaign account.

For every contribution, issuing a receipt that includes:

• date of contribution;
• name of the individual contributor;
• address of individual contributor; and
• amount contributed.

You must keep records of contributions and campaign expenses for a period of three years following the day of the election to which they relate.

You must file a financial disclosure statement for each year you have accepted contributions and/or incurred expenses.

Campaign contributions

Contributor limit of $5,000 total

The maximum amount allowed per contributor is $5,000 per calendar year, per election type.

• Up to $5,000 for council candidates (includes mayor and councillor)
• Up to $5,000 for public school board candidates
• Up to $5,000 for separate school board candidates
• It is possible for a contributor to give a maximum total of $15,000 per calendar year for a General Election.

Self-fund $10,000 maximum per campaign period

Each candidate can contribute up to $10,000 per campaign period of their own funds to their campaign. The candidate is not reimbursed for these funds.

Contributions to municipal election candidates are not tax deductible.

Who can contribute?

The following can contribute to a candidate:

• Alberta residents
• Alberta trade unions or Alberta employee organizations
• corporations other than a prohibited organization

You, or your representative, are responsible for informing prospective contributors of rules contributing to a municipal election campaign. Contributors are responsible for ensuring that they are eligible and do not exceed their maximum per year.

The following cannot contribute to a candidate:

• a municipality,
• a corporation that is controlled by a municipality and meets the test set out in section 1(2) of the Municipal Government Act,
• a non-profit organization that has received since the last general election any of the following from the municipality in which the election will be held:
• a grant;
• real property;
• personal property;
• a Provincial corporation as defined in the Financial Administration Act, including a management body within the meaning of the Alberta Housing Act,
• a Métis settlement,
• a board of trustees under the Education Act,
• a public post-secondary institution as defined in the Post-secondary Learning Act,
• a corporation that does not carry on business in Alberta,
• a registered part as defined in the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act or the Canada Elections Act (Canada), or
• an organization designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as a prohibited organization.

A campaign expense is any expense incurred, or non-monetary contribution received by you that is used to directly promote or oppose a candidate during a campaign period. Examples of campaign expenses include, but are not limited to:

• cost of advertising or promotional materials;
• the distribution, broadcast or publication of advertising or promotional material in any media or by any other means during a campaign period;
• the payment of remuneration and expenses to or on behalf of a person for the persons services as a chief financial officer or in any other capacity (e.g., fees for a chief financial officer);
• fees to secure a meeting place;
• costs to conduct surveys or research during a campaign period;
• cost of a review engagement.

Expense limits

Expense limits are outlined in the Expense Limit Regulation which came into force Oct. 31, 2024.

Mayor candidates

During the election year (e.g., Jan. 1, 2025 - Dec. 31, 2025): a candidate for mayor may spend up to $1 per person based on the population of the municipality from the 2023 provincial population list.

Year before a general election (e.g., Oct. 31, 2024 – Dec. 31, 2024): A candidate for mayor may spend half the amount permitted during an election year.

No candidate for election as mayor and no chief financial officer of a candidate for election as mayor shall incur campaign expenses in the first two years of a campaign period in respect of a general election.

Councillor candidates

During the election year (e.g., Jan. 1, 2025 – Dec. 31, 2025): A candidate for councillor may spend up to $1 per person based on the population of the municipality from the 2023 provincial population list.

Year before a general election (e.g., Oct. 31, 2024 – Dec. 31, 2024): A candidate for councillor may spend half the amount of the election year.

No candidate for election as a councillor and no chief financial officer of a candidate for election as a councillor shall incur campaign expenses in the first two years of a campaign period in respect of a general election.

A fundraising function includes any social function held for the purpose of raising funds for your election campaign. The gross income from any fund-raising function must be recorded.

If a fund-raising function is held though the sale of tickets, the following rules around contributions must be followed:

• If the individual charge is $50 or less, it is not considered to be a contribution unless the individual who pays the charge specifically requests that it be considered as part of their contribution. If the individual requests this, half of the amount is permitted as expenses and half is considered a contribution. The candidate may still choose to issue a receipt and keep a record of the transaction even if the amount is not considered a contribution. 
• If the individual charge is more than $50, but less than $100, $25 is permitted for expenses and the balance is to be considered a contribution, and;
• If the individual contribution is more than $100, 25% of the amount is permitted for expenses and the balance is considered to be a contribution.

Candidates or a person acting on their behalf must issue a receipt for every contribution they received. For any contributions over $50, the name and address and the amount of the contribution must be recorded as that information is to be included in the campaign disclosure statements.

A candidate may borrow money only from a financial institution. Only an individual who is a resident in Alberta, a corporation other than a prohibited organization, an Alberta trade union or an Alberta employee organization may make a payment on or behalf of the borrower (the candidate) regarding a loan.

The individual must be reimbursed by the borrower (candidate) before the campaign disclosure statement submission deadline, otherwise payments made towards a loan to be considered an individual contribution to the candidate.

Surplus

Surplus funds must be eliminated within 60 days after filing a disclosure statement with Elections Airdrie.

• Any amount $1,000 and over must be donated to a registered charity.
• Any amount under $1,000 can be retained by the candidate or donated to a charity.
• You must file a disclosure statement amendment showing the disposition of funds.

Deficit

Deficits must be eliminated within 60 days after filing a disclosure statement with Elections Airdrie. You may:

• Accept contributions within the 60-day period. Contributions must not exceed $5,000 from any single individual, corporation, group or union.
• Use your own funds to a maximum of $10,000.
• You must file a disclosure statement amendment showing the disposition of funds.

Scrutineers help maintain election integrity by ensuring a fair and transparent election that follows the law.

Scrutineers are permitted in a voting station to observe the voting procedures and the counting of ballots.

To be appointed as a scrutineer, an individual must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Not have been convicted of an election-related offence under the Local Authorities Election Act, Election Act (Alberta), Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act or the Canada Elections Act in the last 10 years.

Where can scrutineers observe?

The Presiding Deputy Returning Officer (PDRO) sets aside a specific area within the voting station for scrutineers to watch election proceedings.

Scrutineers can observe at voting stations for:

• Election Day.
• Advance Vote.
• Care facilities where the voting station is in a common area.
• Post-secondary institutions.
• Vote bus locations.

Scrutineers are also permitted at:

• Counting centre(s).
• Locations identified for recounts (if required).

How are scrutineers appointed?

Scrutineers are appointed by a candidate using the Scrutineer Appointment form. The form is completed and signed by the candidate before the scrutineer visits the voting station.

Use a separate form for each scrutineer being appointed and list all the voting station they will attend during voting hours.

A scrutineer keeps the signed form with them and shows it to the Presiding Deputy Returning Officer (PDRO) at each voting station they visit.

Forms will be available closer to the election.

Making a statement or oath at the voting station

When entering a voting station, a scrutineer must show their Scrutineer Appointment form to the PDRO. Scrutineers will be asked by the PDRO to make a verbal statement/oath and complete the Statement of Scrutineer form. If a scrutineer leaves and returns to the same voting station, they must show the appointment form again. They do not have to repeat the statement/oath or statement form.

General rules for scrutineers

• A candidate or official agent may be a scrutineer.
• A candidate, official agent and a scrutineer cannot be in the same voting station at the same time.
• Scrutineers are given an identification badge and vest which must be worn while in the station and returned before leaving.
• Scrutineers can leave and return to a voting station during voting hours.
• Scrutineers can be assigned more than one voting station.
• To observe the ballot count, a scrutineer must be inside the voting station before it closes and cannot leave and return while the count is in progress.

Before the voting station opens:

• A scrutineer may enter the voting station 15 minutes before the station opens.
• A scrutineer may view the ballot boxes to ensure they are empty before they are sealed.

During voting hours:

• A scrutineer may observe the activities in the voting station.
• A scrutineer may ask to see the name and addresses of electors who have requested a mail-in (special) ballot. However, photos and copies of this list are not permitted.

After the voting station closes:

• A scrutineer may watch the counting of ballots at each table.
• A scrutineer may make an objection to how any ballot is counted. The objection will be recorded.
• A scrutineer may sign the Ballot Account form

What a scrutineer cannot do

• Take a photo or make a copy of the elector registry.
• Interfere with the voting process.
• Prevent an elector from voting.
• View an elector marking their ballot.
• Assist an elector to mark a ballot. An election worker can assist an elector and is sworn to secrecy.
• Campaign inside or outside the voting station, including the parking lot.
• Wear campaign materials such as buttons, t-shirts or hats.
• Talk to an elector in the voting station.
• Touch voting materials.
• Vouch for a person at the voting station.
• Object to a person voting.
• Participate in the counting of ballots.
• Take phone calls inside the voting station.

Any exchange of information between the Scrutineer and candidate, or official agent, must take place outside of the voting station.

No pictures or videos. To protect the privacy of electors’ personal information and the secrecy of their vote, photos and videos are not permitted in the voting station at any time.

Unofficial results

Unofficial results will be posted on airdrie.ca and released to media outlets once they are reported to Elections Airdrie on election night.

Official results

The official results must be posted by noon, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.

Final results will be available at:

• Online at airdrie.ca/elections
• Airdrie City Clerk office at City Hall
• The official results are sent to the Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Alberta Education.

A recount may happen under the following circumstances:

• Recounts for close races. The Returning Officer must conduct a recount of votes if:
• the difference between the first and second highest number of valid votes is within 0.5% of the total number of valid ballots for that office, AND
• the candidate with the second highest number of votes requests a recount.
• Inaccurate count. A candidate, official agent or scrutineer shows grounds that the count of votes from a voting station is inaccurate. The allegation must be considered reasonable by the Returning Officer; 
• Number of objected or rejected ballots can affect the results of the election. The Returning Officer can consider the number of objected ballots or rejected ballots (not including blank ballots) to determine if it was sufficient to affect the result of the election if they had not been counted or rejected, as the case may be;
• Administrative or technical error. The Returning Officer determines there may have been an administrative or technical error that may cause an error in the count of votes;

What is the deadline to apply for a recount?

For most recount requests, you, your official agent or a scrutineer must apply for a recount within 44 hours immediately following the close of the voting station.

Voting stations close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. An application for a recount must be submitted to the Returning Officer before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025.

In a close race (0.5% margin), only the candidate with the second highest number of votes can request a recount. There are two deadlines for a close race recount request:

• Within 44 hours following the close of the voting station at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
• Within 48 hours following the release of official results on noon, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, or 48 hours from when the official results are released if they are published earlier.

Notifying candidates of a recount

In the event of a recount, affected candidates must receive a 12-hour notice from the Returning Officer. Ensure you have provided accurate contact information to the elections office.

Time and location of a recount

Date, time and location of a recount is determined by the Returning Officer. Affected candidates will be notified in advance and have the option to observe the recount process.

If required, the count will continue outside of normal business hours.

Who can be present at a recount?

Candidates, their official agent or a scrutineer are highly encouraged to be present during a recount. However, similar to Election Day, only the candidate or one representative may be present at a time.

Recount procedures

The recount procedures are the same as for Election Day.

The ballot account for the voting station is adjusted by the Returning Officer, if required, after the recount is completed.

Judicial recount

An elector may apply for a judicial recount under section 103 to 115 of the LAEA. Candidates are advised to seek their own independent legal advice if a judicial recount is being considered.

• Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA)
• Expense Limits Regulation
• Municipal Affairs Statues Amendment Act (formerly Bill 20)
• City of Airdrie Elections Bylaw
• A Candidates Guide: Running for Municipal Office in Alberta
• Role of an Elected Official at the City of Airdrie (Current as of February 25, 2025)
• Municipal Election Webinar - Mid-size and Large Municipalities