Sourcing 5,000 Sharpies and making sure each one works is typically not part of a City’s Archivist’s job. But in an election year, it takes up much of Konrad Krahn’s time.
He’s also the Supplies Lead for the 2026 Municipal Council and School Boards Election, and responsible for ensuring voting location workers have the materials they need.
“Ordering supplies at this scale can be surprisingly difficult,” said Krahn.
It’s not bad to supply 40 markers or pens for one location, but when you're expanding that to hundreds of voting opportunities that we provide, sometimes you need to get really creative.
If you went to the store earlier this year to get large storage tote bins and couldn’t find any, that’s because he cleared stores completely out of them.
“One store actually called me to ask what I was doing with all of them,” he recalled, with a laugh.
The 2,500 bins are being used to store and transport the supplies needed at voting locations. They’re all triple checked before heading out the door.
“This is all to give Winnipeg residents an opportunity to speak their voice,” said Krahn.
A year in the making
There is a lot that has to happen before you can cast your ballot.
City staff have to inspect over 350 locations to ensure they can be used voting locations. Over 2,300 temporary election workers are hired and trained. The Voters List is updated and voting subdivisions finalized. Technology is tested, then tested again.
“There's so much work that goes on behind the scenes and it’s a huge, coordinated effort,” said Sherwood Armbruster, Senior Election Official. “When it comes to our deadlines, there's no room for extension or moving of deadlines because we’re under provincial legislation and civic by-laws.”
A team effort
The civic election takes place every four years, on the fourth Wednesday in October. It’s the largest one-day single service customer service initiative we undertake. While it’s run by our City Clerk’s Department, every area of our organization is involved in some way.
“We are endlessly grateful for the contributions of the public service in every City department,” said Armbruster. “It reminds all of us that we're part of something larger than ourselves, just like City motto ‘One with the strength of many’.”
That’s evident in the final days before polls open. All the supplies for 184 voting locations must be strategically loaded into delivery trucks bound for sites across Winnipeg. It’s a carefully coordinated undertaking.
“Getting this ready has not been without its challenges and late nights and early mornings,” said Katie Lynch, our Senior Records and Information Manager, who is the Logistics Lead for the election. “We really only have a couple days to get this all sorted and it somehow came together really wonderfully and it's all working out.”
A record-breaking election
This election has already been record-breaking. A total of 50,767 voters participated in advance voting. This marks a 21.2 percent increase from the 41,895 people who voted in advance in 2022, when the previous advance voting record was set.
A single-day advance voting location record of 1,879 votes cast was also set on Friday, October 16 at the St. Vital Centre location. During the busiest hour, 366 votes were cast which is an average of one voter processed every 10 seconds.
Election staff were in malls, hospitals, care homes, post-secondary schools, and other locations.
Voting on Election Day
If you’re planning to vote on Election Day, polling locations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. You’re encouraged to vote at one of the assigned voting locations on your voter’s notice. You can search your address at winnipeg.ca/wheredoivote for your complete list of voting locations available to you.
Results will be available on the election website shortly after polls close at 8 p.m. They will be updated as results are received from voting locations.
Ever wonder what happens after you cast your ballot? Check out the video below to find out.