Elections BC has released the campaign spending disclosures for last fall’s municipal elections, and in our area it wasn’t always the top spenders who came out on top.
One trend in Nanaimo’s Mayor race is the difference in how mayor Bill McKay and defeated incumbent John Ruttan raised their money.
They spent roughly $30 and $35-thousand. Most of McKay’s was corporate contributions, while Ruttan largely self-financed his campaign.
By far the biggest spender among the mayoralty candidates was Roger McKinnon at nearly 62-thousand.
In Gibsons there was a similar contrast. Mayor Wayne Rowe’s re-election bid came in at close to $28-thousand, with most of it in corporate contributions. Challenger Suzanne Senger ran a $7-thousand dollar campaign largely on donations from individuals.
Sechelt’s John Henderson spent about $35-thousand on an unsuccessful re-election bid. Winner Bruce Milne reports expenses of just over 20-thousand 700.
Third parties were among the biggest spenders in Sechelt with the group calling itself Vote For Change spending more than 10 thousand dollars, and two vocal opponents of the District’s waste water treatment plant project spending around that much between them as well.
The filing deadline was February 13th, and not everybody met it.
Nanaimo Counicllor Gord Fuller is being granted an extension because of “extenuating” circumstances. Fuller, of course, is recovering from a serious heart attack suffered in January.
Nanaimo candidate Gail Adrienne and Sunshine Coast Regional District hopeful Thomas Murray (who ran in Area E) have until March 16th to file, but they’ll have to pay a $500 fee. Failure to file could mean stiffer penalties or result in a candidate being barred from the next election.
You can see the spending reports for any candidate, in any race (including school board), at Elections BC.
