Sutcliffe won 20 wards as Ottawa's mayoral vote split between city centre and suburbs
Mark Sutcliffe took 44.7 per cent of the vote to Jeff Leiper's 33.9 per cent, with margins of 15 to 28 percentage points in the outer suburbs and a 36 per cent turnout that is the lowest in more than 23 years.
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Mark Sutcliffe won 20 of Ottawa's 24 wards on October 26, CBC reports, as the mayoral vote followed a clear line between the city centre and the outer suburbs and rural areas.
CBC reporter Arthur White-Crummey published a ward-by-ward map of the results on October 30. The official count gives Sutcliffe 44.7 per cent and Jeff Leiper 33.9 per cent, a gap of about 11 percentage points. Neil Saravanamuttoo received 11 per cent and Alex Lawson 7.6 per cent.
Where each candidate won
Leiper won only four wards: Somerset, Kitchissippi, Rideau-Vanier and Capital, all in the city centre. In the outer suburbs, CBC reports, Sutcliffe's margins over Leiper ranged from 15 to 28 percentage points. In the rural wards at the edges of the city, the margin reached about 40 percentage points.
How 2026 compares to 2022
In 2022, Sutcliffe won with 51.4 per cent against Catherine McKenney's 37.9 per cent, a gap of 13.5 percentage points, according to CBC. CBC also reports that Bay and River wards were under one point in 2022. Both went to Sutcliffe in 2026.
Turnout was 36 per cent, CBC reports, the lowest in more than 23 years.
The four mayoral candidates
Mark Sutcliffe was first elected mayor in 2022. Jeff Leiper left his Kitchissippi Ward council seat to run for mayor. Neil Saravanamuttoo and Alex Lawson also ran. The official count, which CBC cites, gives Saravanamuttoo 11 per cent and Lawson 7.6 per cent.
What comes next
Sutcliffe and the 24 councillors elected on October 26 take office on November 15, 2026, under section 6 (1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. The City Clerk will declare the official results under section 55 of the same Act. Residents can follow each ward's count and the declaration at the City of Ottawa's elections page.
Questions this story answers
How did the Ottawa mayoral vote split between wards?
CBC reporter Arthur White-Crummey mapped the ward-by-ward results on October 30. Mark Sutcliffe won 20 of Ottawa's 24 wards. Jeff Leiper won four wards in the city centre: Somerset, Kitchissippi, Rideau-Vanier and Capital. In the outer suburbs, CBC reports, Sutcliffe's margin over Leiper ranged from 15 to 28 percentage points. In the rural wards at the edges of the city the margin reached about 40 percentage points.
What were the official vote totals in Ottawa's 2026 mayoral race?
The official results give Mark Sutcliffe 44.7 per cent and Jeff Leiper 33.9 per cent, a gap of about 11 percentage points, according to CBC. Neil Saravanamuttoo received 11 per cent and Alex Lawson 7.6 per cent.
How does the 2026 result compare to the 2022 Ottawa mayoral race?
CBC reports that in 2022, Mark Sutcliffe won with 51.4 per cent against Catherine McKenney's 37.9 per cent, a gap of 13.5 percentage points. CBC also reports that Bay and River wards were under one point in 2022. Both went to Sutcliffe in 2026.
What was voter turnout in the 2026 Ottawa municipal election?
CBC reports that turnout was 36 per cent, the lowest in more than 23 years. The article does not give a specific year for comparison or a number for what the previous low was. Turnout in the 2022 race, when Sutcliffe first won, is not given in the CBC article.
Who is Mark Sutcliffe?
Mark Sutcliffe is the incumbent mayor of Ottawa, first elected in 2022 when he defeated Catherine McKenney. He won re-election on October 26, 2026 with 44.7 per cent of the vote. His candidate profile, including his campaign promises tracked by this site, is at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe.
Who is Jeff Leiper?
Jeff Leiper left his Kitchissippi Ward council seat to run for mayor in 2026. He won four city-centre wards on October 26 but lost the mayoral race to Sutcliffe. Joanne Chianello won his former Kitchissippi Ward seat. His candidate profile is at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/jeff-leiper.
Who is Neil Saravanamuttoo?
Neil Saravanamuttoo ran for Ottawa mayor in 2026 and received 11 per cent of the vote, according to CBC's report of the official results. CBC does not give his ward-by-ward breakdown. His candidate profile is at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/neil-saravanamuttoo.
Who is Alex Lawson?
Alex Lawson ran for Ottawa mayor in 2026 and received 7.6 per cent of the vote, according to CBC's report of the official results. CBC does not give his ward-by-ward breakdown. His candidate profile is at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates/alex-lawson.
When do the newly elected mayor and council take office?
Mark Sutcliffe and the 24 councillors elected on October 26 take office on November 15, 2026, under section 6 (1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. The City Clerk will declare the official results under section 55 of the same Act.
Where can I see the official Ottawa 2026 election results?
The City of Ottawa's official results are at the Ottawa elections page. The CBC ward-by-ward map is at cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mapping-ottawa-s-mayoral-election-results-shows-another-urban-suburban-split-9.7403350.
Sources
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