Lethbridge Election Results Finalized: Hyggen to Lead New Council Amid Low Turnout

The waiting is over and the results are now official for the 2025 Lethbridge Municipal and School Election.

 

Following a complete audit and all necessary checks, the city has confirmed its new leadership for the next term.

 

Mayor-Elect Blaine Hyggen will lead the next City Council.

 

He will be joined by a council of familiar and new faces, including Belinda Crowson, Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, Rajko Dodic, Ryan Wolfe, Al Beeber, Rufa Doria, Mark Campbell, and Ryan Parker.

 

This election was, however, radically different from those in the past.

 

The entire process was upended by Provincial legislation changes known as Bill 20.

 

These new rules forced a manual, hand-counted tabulation of every single ballot cast.

 

City officials confirmed this shift also required fewer, but much larger, consolidated voting stations with secure hard-wired internet connections.

 

While presented as a more efficient approach, the financial impact was significant.

 

The total cost for the 2025 election ballooned by more than $300,000, effectively doubling the price tag compared to the 2021 vote.

 

Even more concerning for many observers was the alarmingly low voter turnout.

 

Only 17,152 residents cast a ballot, representing just 19.35 per cent of eligible voters.

 

That figure marks a steep decline from the 30 to 35 per cent turnout typically seen in past Lethbridge municipal elections.

 

This trend of lower-than-average voter participation was reportedly seen in municipalities across the province.

 

Official results have also been declared for school board trustee positions.

 

The seven Trustees-Elect for the Lethbridge Public School Division are Cheryl Meheden, Christine Light, Kristina Larkin, Allison Purcell, Brooke Culley, Craig H. Whitehead and Tiffany Hill.

 

For the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate School Division, the five elected trustees are Carmen Mombourquette, Linda Ellefson, Tricia Doherty, Bob Spitzig and Roisin Gibb.

 

The new Mayor and Council are scheduled to be officially sworn in on Monday, October 27, beginning the 2025-2029 term.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why did the Lethbridge election cost so much more this year?

The cost doubled primarily due to new provincial regulations under Bill 20, which required manual hand-counting of all ballots and mandated specific technology at fewer, larger polling stations, increasing logistical and labor expenses.

 

What was the voter turnout for the 2025 Lethbridge election?

Voter turnout was significantly lower than in previous years, with only 19.35% of the 88,647 eligible voters in Lethbridge casting a ballot. This reflects a wider trend of low participation seen across Alberta.

 

Who is on the new Lethbridge City Council?

The new council for the 2025-2029 term will be led by Mayor Blaine Hyggen and includes councillors Belinda Crowson, Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, Rajko Dodic, Ryan Wolfe, Al Beeber, Rufa Doria, Mark Campbell, and Ryan Parker.