Photographs: Celebration – Election Night
Calgarians had a distinct choice to make on Monday in their selection of a mayor. The frontrunners came down to a nine-year city councillor with a small business background and a reputation for championing taxpayers. There was also the trusted, spunky TV anchorwoman Calgarians had relied on for the last 21 years. And then there was the guy who, up until a few months ago, almost no one in the city had ever heard of.
That guy won.
So unknown was Naheed Nenshi that early in the campaign he released a YouTube video explaining how to properly pronounce his name. A lot of people still get it wrong.
Polling numbers only a month earlier had Mr. Nenshi, a 38-year-old professor of non-profit management at Mount Royal University, with just eight per cent support, well behind conservative councillor Ric McIver’s 43 per cent, and CTV’s Barb Higgins 28%.
Just before midnight Monday, Mr. Nenshi had raked in 40% of votes counted. Mr. McIver had 33% and Ms. Higgins 27%.
Mr. Nenshi’s soaring popularity, his ethnic complexion (he’s an Ismaili Muslim), his academic inclinations, and his potent deployment of social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, invited — as so many political campaigns must, it seems — comparisons to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com
After an exciting three-way race, Calgary has a new mayor-elect.
Naheed Nenshi started out slow, but came out on top on Election Day beating out front-runners Ric McIver and Barb Higgins.
Nenshi addressed his supporters, the “purple army”, around 11:30 p.m. saying he’s excited for a “new Calgary”.
He said he’s excited to begin his position as Calgary’s 36th mayor.
If you don’t know the name Naheed Nenshi, take note.
A grassroots campaign driven by volunteers has delivered Canada its first Muslim mayor – Mr. Nenshi, who scored a staggering win in Calgary’s mayor’s race Monday.
He defeated two better-funded candidates, including one backed by Stephen Harper’s campaign team, and saw his support surge in the final few weeks. To say Mr. Nenshi’s campaign was austere is understatement – he delivered his speech in a basement that was donated by a supporter at the last second.
Ismailimail 
that is fantastic !! after trailing by almost 35% points it is an amazing feat ..
well done Naheed but don’t let it get to your head and work hard for future
and you will be in federal politics soon.
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Heartiest congratulations! Well done Naheed!
Your achievment is history in the making and is being celebrated across the country. We wish you a very successful tenure in office.
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Many Congratulations, Mr. Nenshi. U make us all proud : )
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With sincere and heartiest congratulations to all Calgarians and the Ismailis.
I am very excited for the great accomplishment of Mr. Nenshi. I am sure that his work will be bring a revolution in history of Canada, specially in Calgary. It will remain as a great and golden memory to be proud of in the future.
God bless him and we wish him a great professional life as a mayor.
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NAHEED,
YA ALI MADAD
CONGRATULATIONS! AND MUBARAKIS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, NOW WORK REALLY HARD FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAS WORKED HARD AND HAS VOTED FOR YOU IN CALGARY WITH THEIR TRUST AND HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
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Congratulations to Mr. Nenshi. I am confident that Calgary will be well-served by this gentleman, as I am well-acquianted with the Ismaili community and how accomplished their community as a whole is, as well as their commitment to serving fellow human-beings. It almost makes me want to be a Calgarian!
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