2026 Olympics- Calgary votes no- 56%

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I'm not sure a 13% margin is what I would consider close. The Yes side lost pretty handily, so handily I can't see the Olympics being pursued again for another couple cycles, unless there are significant political changes, especially locally.

As per an argument I heard this morning over coffee. We had something like a 40% voter turnout.



So we had the die hards on both sides come out to vote.


I would assume that the No side would have been the more likely side to stay a home and not vote.


I would assume that there was a chance that the undecided or don't care votes stay home


I would have assumed that the Yes note would have been fairly mobilized to vote.


Would the result have been worse for the yes side if more people had come out?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I think it's generally the opposite - plebiscites like this are automatically biased towards rejecting the motion. People who are against something are generally more mobilized, for basically the same psychological reason you're more likely to leave a negative restaurant review than a positive one.

However, that's mitigated a lot by the high voter turnout. People didn't stay home because they were mildly in favour and couldn't be bothered. I wasn't expecting anywhere near 300,000 people to vote. Given that, I think it's unlikely that they'll turn around and try another bid for 2030.

[Flashpoint]

For me it was a simple question.

Is the IOC corrupt?

My answer is “yes”. So an easy no vote (at least in this poll since I’m not in Calgary). I don’t want my dollars going to support corruption, and Calgary’s reputation being used to legitimize a corrupt organization.

Does anyone argue that the IOC isn’t corrupt? I get there are other reasons to vote “yes”, but it feels like you’re overlooking that reality if so.

[Slava]

On a bit of a tangent, I liked the electronic tabulation and thought that the city was well organized for this vote. Hopefully they have similar organization and preparedness for the next election.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

For me it was a simple question.

Is the IOC corrupt?

My answer is “yes”. So an easy no vote (at least in this poll since I’m not in Calgary). I don’t want my dollars going to support corruption, and Calgary’s reputation being used to legitimize a corrupt organization.

Does anyone argue that the IOC isn’t corrupt? I get there are other reasons to vote “yes”, but it feels like you’re overlooking that reality if so.

Do you watch the Olympics at home, follow it on social media, or check out their online content for any of the Games, news or events?

It's one thing to not want to give them dollars - it's much harder to not give them any attention that helps them generate revenue. Simply by watching or engaging with them in any way is enabling them to exist.

And if you think the IOC is corrupt, then I hope you aren't going to pay a lick of attention to the World Cup 2026 in Canada with FIFA headlining that event.

[FurnaceFace]

I'm barely under 50 and voted yes to keep the conversation going. I would have liked to have had an option to vote yes with certain caveats such as a definitive answer on who is on the hook for security overages. I hear it is the feds but it wasn't super clear.

I think that's a large part of the issue, there was a lot of things we voters didn't have firm answers to therefore the safe vote was no. It was certainly the original direction I was going. I think the yes side miscalculated and should have delayed until people had more time. I suspect there was a certain amount of no vote based on the sense this was getting rammed down our throats. Perhaps more weeks would have let to more clarity...perhaps not.

Anyway....2030 is a nice round number....;-)

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

They should have pushed harder to delay the plebiscite. The Yes side still lost only yesterday voting by 54-46, but that's still a pretty significant swing from 69-31 a week earlier in the advanced voting. With another month, perhaps they would have been able to swing more votes.

There’s some questionable logic there. You are assuming the difference between the advance polls and yesterday were people changing their minds. It’s equally as plausible that the advance polls are not representative of the larger population as some of the most motivated persons on both sides vote in the advance polls.

[Joborule]

The one good thing about this whole process is that citizens are more aware of the fieldhouse now, and maybe the damn thing will finally get built. Most likely will have to be the city paying for all of it rather than using shared Olympic funding, but at least it may finally get built within the next few years. Long, long overdue.

[Jacks]

I didn't think I'd be overly bothered by a no vote but I'm surprisingly annoyed today.
Was tempted to text Steinberg and tell him to shove it.
I think we missed a huge opportunity here.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Slava

On a bit of a tangent, I liked the electronic tabulation and thought that the city was well organized for this vote. Hopefully they have similar organization and preparedness for the next election.

I don't think this is a tangent at all. I too was impressed with the electronic tabulation of the vote. If we cannot go to full electronic voting, voting machines or similar then this is certainly the next best thing and I would love to see it utilized for all elections. The only negative was that they only had one machine so once you marked your ballot you got back into line to hand it in.

Going after work is going to be the busiest time for sure. I arrived at 17:54 and it was 18:32 when I walked out the door so 38 minutes in total. We were lined up outside down the sidewalk and then snaked around int eh lobby of the school before getting into the gym. Then another line snaking around the gym a couple of times to wait to hand in your marked ballot. I was a little surprised to see the turnout at only 40% based on how busy it was when I went.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I don't think this is a tangent at all. I too was impressed with the electronic tabulation of the vote. If we cannot go to full electronic voting, voting machines or similar then this is certainly the next best thing and I would love to see it utilized for all elections. The only negative was that they only had one machine so once you marked your ballot you got back into line to hand it in.

Going after work is going to be the busiest time for sure. I arrived at 17:54 and it was 18:32 when I walked out the door so 38 minutes in total. We were lined up outside down the sidewalk and then snaked around int eh lobby of the school before getting into the gym. Then another line snaking around the gym a couple of times to wait to hand in your marked ballot. I was a little surprised to see the turnout at only 40% based on how busy it was when I went.

The scantron type voting is the best of both worlds. You have a paper trail for recounts and electronic camping. Saskatoon was using a similar system since 2003 Mayoral elections so its about time we caught up. My only issue is they still need to release poll by poll and machine by machine results so you can have the entertainment and emotion swings trying to figure out what is left to come in.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I didn't think I'd be overly bothered by a no vote but I'm surprisingly annoyed today.
Was tempted to text Steinberg and tell him to shove it.
I think we missed a huge opportunity here.

I’m with you. My respect for him, Pinder, & the Fan has cratered. I will actively avoid all their advertising clients now.

The rebel take of “I work in sports & I’m not supporting this” just feeds their own ego. Just shut up.

Plus Pinder acting & spouting like an expert is sickening beyond belief & I used to really like, enjoy, & respect his work. That’s evaporated.

He likes to spout his “broken model” take. In our changing society there are a few “broken models” if he wants to ride the moral & ethical high horse,

How about the extortion of municipalities by professional sports leagues. Or how about golf courses, municipal or otherwise & the gigantic land & resources they consume for a single recreational activity.

I had the opportunity to chat with Rob Kerr a couple of weeks ago. He told me that everything changed for him last March when he was asked to become their new fantasy football guy.

Excellent way to water down your talent pool.

That station is become dead to me & I used to stream it when I lived in Sask & Ontario.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

There’s some questionable logic there. You are assuming the difference between the advance polls and yesterday were people changing their minds. It’s equally as plausible that the advance polls are not representative of the larger population as some of the most motivated persons on both sides vote in the advance polls.

I am assuming that, because between the advanced voting days and yesterday the Yes side put on the biggest political push most of us had seen in a long while, if ever. I definitely think they convinced a good chunk of people to come to their side. I would say if there's a major difference between advanced and day of, it's the advanced voters were unlikely to have ever been undecided, whereas a lot of undecideds make up day of (hence why they're, you know, undecided).

[N-E-B]

The no vote was worth it to watch the yes side meltdown.

[OutOfTheCube]

Man the salt from the Yes side is palpable.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GGG

The scantron type voting is the best of both worlds. You have a paper trail for recounts and electronic camping. Saskatoon was using a similar system since 2003 Mayoral elections so its about time we caught up. My only issue is they still need to release poll by poll and machine by machine results so you can have the entertainment and emotion swings trying to figure out what is left to come in.

If only they took smaller pieces of paper, like an index card size.

[FireGilbert]

I am surprised the vote wasn't closer considering all the advantages the Yes side had.

It would have been cool to see the Olympics there again but I am confident Calgarians made the right decision.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I don't think this is a tangent at all. I too was impressed with the electronic tabulation of the vote. If we cannot go to full electronic voting, voting machines or similar then this is certainly the next best thing and I would love to see it utilized for all elections. The only negative was that they only had one machine so once you marked your ballot you got back into line to hand it in.

Going after work is going to be the busiest time for sure. I arrived at 17:54 and it was 18:32 when I walked out the door so 38 minutes in total. We were lined up outside down the sidewalk and then snaked around int eh lobby of the school before getting into the gym. Then another line snaking around the gym a couple of times to wait to hand in your marked ballot. I was a little surprised to see the turnout at only 40% based on how busy it was when I went.

I believe, but am not sure, that they had slightly fewer polling place than a regular municipal election which is why it may have appeared to be busier.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The no vote was worth it to watch the yes side meltdown.

So... stigginit, then? Pretty lame to be happy about other people’s unhappiness.

I voted no but it sure as hell wasnt because I wanted to “watch the yes side melt down”.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I believe, but am not sure, that they had slightly fewer polling place than a regular municipal election which is why it may have appeared to be busier.

Did people vote in the same place at the civic election or different. Mine was the same and a low turnout.

I was only 1465 at 7:30pm