While Edmonton’s 2025 municipal elections neatly sidestepped Canadian Thanksgiving, the Monday, Oct. 20 date falls on Diwali, an important South Asian religious and cultural festival — and that has some candidates worried for local democracy.

Also called the “festival of lights,” Diwali (and Bandi Chhor Divas) marks the victory of good over evil for devout members of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities.

In southeast Edmonton, candidate Harman Kandola called Thursday for Elections Edmonton to place mobile polling stations at key Diwali gathering spaces on election day — gurdwaras (Sikh temples), mandirs (Hindu temples), and cultural centres and community halls hosting Diwali celebrations.

“These mobile stations would allow families to fulfill both their civic duty and religious obligati

See Full Page