Election day in Calgary: what voters need to know before going to the polls

Millions of voters across Canada will go to the polls on Monday to choose a new federal government.

Polling stations are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Alberta. Canadians can find out where to go to vote in their riding on the Elections Canada website, or by calling Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868.

The list of candidates for the 37 ridings around Alberta has been set for weeks in a recently updated electoral map. Riding boundaries are updated every 10 years to reflect population changes, with the most recent change coming since that last federal vote four years ago. 

Some Alberta ridings have seen significant changes to their boundaries, such as Yellowhead along the province's western border. There are also two new southern Alberta ridings — Airdrie-Cochrane and Calgary McKnight, which is largely taken from the southern portion of Calgary Skyview.

In 2021, Calgary and the rest of southern Alberta went almost entirely Conservative blue, with the lone exception of Calgary Skyview, where voters elected a Liberal MP.

This year, the most hotly contested ridings in Calgary that analysts will be watching are in Centre, Confederation, McKnight and Skyview.

Voters will need to prove their identity and address when they arrive at their polling station. They can do this with government-issued ID that includes an address and photo, like a driver's licence. 

Otherwise, voters can use a combination of various documents including something to confirm their identity like a student card, employee ID or library card, along with proof of address through documents like a voter information card, lease agreement or utility bill.

While some voters may be working on election day, employers are required by law to give employees a three-hour window to vote.

If voters make a mistake while filling out their ballot, they can exchange it once for a new ballot.

The future of the country is largely top of mind for voters, says Lori Williams, Mount Royal University associate professor of policy studies.

Voters' forward-looking perspective in this election is largely connected to affordability, Williams says. But while some connect affordability to domestic matters like housing and the cost of living, when other voters talk about affordability, they're concerned with Canada's relationship with the U.S. and tariffs imposed on the country by its southern neighbour.

"That future of Canada, tied up with affordability, seems to be a common thread that runs across a range of voter concerns," Williams said.

She added Calgarians are also particularly interested in which party can best support Alberta's economy, and how parties meet the challenge to balance the needs of the energy industry and the environment.