Note: Pre-populated tally sheets were only provided for Advance Vote. Edmonton Elections has verified there were no errors found in any other Advance Vote Tally Sheet.
While counting the Advance Vote ballots at the EXPO centre, the counting teams found one candidate was missing from the first tally sheet and manually added it. (See above) The counting results were correctly recorded on the Tally Sheet,. When the results were consolidated into the second tally sheet, the results were transposed incorrectly as the candidate names were not in the same order. E.g. Parmar’s votes went to Kotch.
This human error during Advance Vote Counting caused the wrong results to be added to Form 19 (Statement of Results) and entered into the results system and published.
Verification Catch #1 Ballot Accounting
Through the Ballot Accounting process this error was caught by Edmonton Elections on October 22, 2025 and reported to the Returning Officer.
Recount of Ward sipiwiyiniwak Councillor Race Ballots
On Tuesday, October 21, 2025 as part of the initial review of preliminary results there was a six vote difference between the top two candidates. Based on potential administrative or technical errors in the reporting of the count results, the Returning Officer requested a recount to be held on October 22, 2025 at 2 p.m.
The recount, which took place on Wednesday, Oct. 22, included a recount of all ballots cast in the Councillor race. This included ballot boxes from:
- Advance Vote
- Institution Vote (Senior Accommodation Facilities, Hospitals)
- Special Ballots (Mail in ballots)
- Election Day Voting
Verification Catch #2 through the recount process
This re-counting process identified a discrepancy in the original Advance Vote preliminary results reported and the re-counted results. It determined that there was a transposition error where some of the tally results were attributed to the wrong candidate.
Why were some boxes not counted on Election night
All ballot boxes on election night were returned from 222 Voting Stations to Edmonton Elections Warehouse. There is a detailed chain of custody form that tracks the location and serial number of each box.
There were five boxes returned to Edmonton Elections that had no information entered into the results system, indicating to the Returning Officer that these five ballot boxes were not counted. Edmonton Elections completed a thorough search for the tally sheets and consolidated results and were not able to find the documentation.
Election legislation does not permit the Returning Officer to count ballots in secret. All counting of ballots must be done in a manner that provides scrutineers the opportunity to observe. Edmonton Elections takes this responsibility seriously and notified each candidate of the impacted races below to advise that a count would take place on October 22, 2025 at 2 p.m.
- Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi-5, City of Edmonton, Councillor
- Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi-5, Public School Board, Ward 76
- Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi-5, Catholic School Board, Ward H
- Métis-7, City of Edmonton, Councillor
- Pihêsiwin-5, City of Edmonton, Councillor
Scruntineers attended and watched the counting process from start to end. Once completed, the results were entered into the voter view system and reviewed personally by the Returning Officer before being released.
At no time were any ballot boxes missing. All ballot boxes have always been in the custody and control of the Returning Officer and accounted for in the chain of custody.
