OPINION: On Your Marks, Get Set, It’s Silly Season!

The saying goes there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. But for the politically inclined and municipal nerds of Alberta, there’s a third constant: Silly Season.

Today, January 2, 2025, marks the unofficial start of Silly Season here in Alberta—a term borrowed from American political discourse, where it originally described the pre-election frenzy preceding a presidential contest. Over time, the term has come to represent the colourful, chaotic lead-up to virtually any election. In Alberta, it means the commencement of the municipal election nomination period.

Municipal elections in Alberta may lack the glamour of their provincial and federal counterparts, but they have a significance that reverberates throughout communities. These elections determine the leadership that manages cities, towns, villages, summer villages, and municipal districts decides on public infrastructure, sets budgets, and advocates for constituents.

Yet, this critical democratic process often transforms into a circus as incumbents, challengers, and parties jockey for position. Silly Season is a time when measured discourse gives way to hyperbole, and the commitment to the public good often takes a back seat to campaign strategies and political ambition.

This year, Alberta’s Silly Season is poised to be especially noteworthy. Two of the province’s largest cities, Edmonton and Calgary, will hold their first officially partisan municipal elections.

This shift toward partisanship promises to add a layer of intrigue and intensity to the municipal race, one that echoes the cutthroat dynamics of provincial and federal politics.

Traditionally, Alberta’s municipal leaders spend the bulk of their terms engaged in the unglamorous but necessary work of governance. They debate bylaws, allocate budgets, and address community concerns. But as the election clock starts ticking, priorities often shift.

For many leaders, the final year of their term becomes less about sound policy and more about optics. Taxes are kept artificially low, promises pile up, and rhetoric intensifies.

This behavioural shift is not unique to Alberta; it’s a near-universal feature of democracy. The stakes of re-election bring out the best and worst in leaders. For some, it’s a time to showcase genuine accomplishments and propose bold visions for the future. For others, it’s a season of mudslinging, pandering, and empty promises.

One hallmark of Silly Season is the sudden proliferation of town halls and populist appeals. Municipal leaders, many of whom had been relatively quiet or pragmatic throughout their terms, suddenly find their voices amplified, sometimes to the detriment of constructive discourse. Nuanced discussions about infrastructure funding or urban development are replaced by inflammatory soundbites and partisan jabs. The result is a political landscape more polarized and theatrical than usual.

A Partisan Experiment for Calgary and Edmonton

Silly Season in Alberta comes with a new twist. Calgary and Edmonton, the province’s largest and most politically significant cities, are set to experience their first openly partisan municipal elections. While partisanship has always existed informally—many candidates’ political leanings are no secret—the official introduction of party politics at the municipal level is a seismic shift.

Historically, municipal elections in Alberta have been nonpartisan. Candidates ran as independents, emphasizing local issues over party ideology. But that era is now behind us, at least in Calgary and Edmonton. The cities’ councils have embraced a model where candidates can declare formal affiliations with political parties, mirroring the system used at the provincial and federal levels.

The move toward partisanship has its supporters and detractors. Advocates argue that party affiliations provide voters with clearer choices and help align municipal policies with broader ideological frameworks. Critics warn that it risks turning municipal councils into miniature legislatures, dominated by divisive party politics rather than community-focused problem-solving.

In Edmonton, a progressive stronghold, the newly introduced partisan structure is likely to further polarize the political discourse. Incumbents and challengers are already aligning with provincial and federal parties, setting the stage for ideological clashes that could overshadow local concerns. Calgary, known for its political diversity, faces a different but equally fraught dynamic. The city’s council is likely to become a battleground between progressive and conservative factions, with implications for everything from public transit to property taxes.

While Calgary and Edmonton are embarking on their first partisan elections, they are not without precedent in Alberta. The city of Lethbridge experimented with municipal political parties decades ago, only to abandon the model over time after one historian told me that voters were fed up with continuously voting for the same party over and over again.

The lessons from Lethbridge are instructive for Calgary and Edmonton as they navigate this new terrain. While partisanship can bring greater organization and clarity to campaigns, it also risks alienating voters who prioritize local solutions over ideological battles. The challenge for both cities will be to ensure that partisan alignments enhance, rather than detract from, their ability to address municipal issues effectively.

The 2025 municipal elections in Alberta are more than just a political spectacle—they are a referendum on the future of local governance in the province. For Calgary and Edmonton, the outcomes will test whether partisanship enhances or undermines municipal democracy.

For other communities, the election season serves as a reminder of the need for leadership that prioritizes public service over political theatrics.

At the heart of Silly Season lies an inherent tension: the need for accountability versus the temptation of opportunism. Voters must sift through the noise to discern which candidates are genuinely committed to their communities and which are more interested in securing power. The introduction of partisanship complicates this task, as candidates may prioritize party loyalty over constituent needs.

The stakes are particularly high in Alberta, where municipal governments play a pivotal role in managing the province’s rapid growth and economic diversification. Cities like Calgary and Edmonton are grappling with challenges ranging from affordable housing to increased reliance on social services, while smaller communities face their unique struggles, such as maintaining infrastructure and attracting investment.

The leaders elected in October will have the daunting task of addressing these issues amid an increasingly polarized political landscape.

As Silly Season kicks into high gear, Albertans must stay engaged and informed. The temptation to tune out the noise is understandable, but municipal elections have a direct and tangible impact on everyday life. From the quality of public transit to the state of local parks, the decisions made by mayors and councils affect residents in ways that provincial and federal policies often do not.

Voters should scrutinize candidates’ platforms, question their commitments, and hold them accountable for their records. In an era of partisan municipal politics, it’s also important to consider how party affiliations influence candidates’ priorities. Are they representing the interests of their constituents, or are they advancing the agenda of their party?

As this years municipal elections unfold, one thing is certain: Silly Season will live up to its name. Campaigns will be loud, messy, and occasionally absurd. But beneath the spectacle lies a critical democratic process, one that determines the leadership and direction of Alberta’s communities for the next four years.

For municipal nerds and political observers, this is a time to savour—the perfect blend of drama and democracy. For voters, it’s a call to action: to stay informed, to participate, and to demand better from their leaders. Because while Silly Season may be inevitable, the choices made during this time have lasting consequences.

So, on your marks, get set—let the silliness begin! Alberta, it’s time to embrace the chaos, challenge the rhetoric, and chart a path forward that puts communities first.