Polling stations in Winnipeg are closed. Now the city is waiting to meet its new mayor

Winnipeg’s polls have closed – and residents of Manitoba’s largest city will soon find out who their next mayor will be.

The city is choosing its first new leader since 2014, when incumbent two-term mayor Brian Bowman was first elected. Archer announced in 2020 he would run no more.

After a long period of campaigning with a crowded pool of candidates vying for the spot, one is poised to win.

Polling places closed at 8 p.m. CT. You can check the results as they come in on this page.

The first contestant to run for first place came six months after Bowman’s announcement. Over the past six months, 10 others registered.

These candidates are Idris Adelakun, Rana Bokhari, Chris Clacio, Scott Gillingham, Kevin Klein, Shaun Loney, Jenny Motkaluk, Glen Murray, Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Rick Shone and Don Woodstock.

Now that the polling stations are closed, the counting of votes has begun. Ballots cast in advance will be counted first, followed by votes cast today, said senior election official and city clerk Marc Lemoine.

The first results are expected between 8:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., while the bulk of the results are expected around 9:15 p.m., Lemoine said. Full results should be available around 9:45 p.m.

Winnipeg is also electing councilors in 13 of its 15 electoral districts after a four-month campaign period – and the city is guaranteed to see at least two new councillors.

The Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood and St. James wards will send new faces to city hall, as their incumbents (Klein and Gillingham, respectively) run for mayor.

Two incumbents are guaranteed to retain their seats: Couns. Devi Sharma at Old Kildonan and Markus Chambers at Saint-Norbert-Seine River were both acclaimed after no one ran against them.

Other wards electing councilors are Daniel McIntyre, Elmwood-East Kildonan, Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry, Mynarski, North Kildonan, Point Douglas, River Heights-Fort Garry, St. Boniface, St. Vital, Transcona and Waverley West.