2018 Nelson municipal election campaign spending amounts revealed
By Timothy Schafer
If Nelson municipal election results could be interpreted in relation to campaign dollars spent, more money meant a greater chance of success.
The majority of the 2018 Nelson municipal election big spenders were able to secure a seat on city council when the dust cleared last October.
According to financial statements made public recently by Elections BC, four of the top six spenders in the last municipal election for city councillor managed to get past the post and secure a seat.
However, the formula for big spending equals success was not a guarantee as two of the top four spenders did not land a seat: Robin Cherbo ($2,943) and Laureen Barker ($2,905) were on the outside looking in after polls closed.
Current city councillor Cal Renwick was the highest spending council candidate and the only one to top $4,000 at $4,407.
The second highest campaign spending belonged to current councillor Rik Logtenberg who edged over the $3,000 mark at $3,081.
Fellow current councillors followed in order of spending and managed to gain a seat: Jesse Woodward ($2,325), Keith Page ($2,071.19), Brittny Anderson ($1,860) and Janice Morrison ($1,600).
Other council candidate spenders who did not gain a council seat were Leslie Payne ($1,184.18), Joseph Reiner ($905), Rob Richichi ($835), Bob Adams ($829.39), Margaret Stacey ($730), Robbie Kalabis ($269.52) and Charles Jeanes ($150).
In the three-person race for mayor John Dooley came out ahead of the pack in both spending and votes. He recorded $11,125 in spending in his return to the mayor’s chair, the majority through donations to his campaign ($10,474).
That figure was quite a bit more than former mayor Deb Kozak ($5,835) and infinitely more than the zero amount spent by mayoral candidate Bernie Brown.
But spending more did not serve well in the 2014 election for the current mayor, when Kozak spent less ($10,350) than Dooley’s $14,278 but still managed to gather more votes than he did to win the mayor’s seat.
The election was the first to feature new rules regarding campaign contributions, including a cap on mayor candidate campaign expenses at $11,220 and $5,610 on council candidates.
The same changes also limited donations to one candidate from individuals and elector organizations to $1,200, and did not allow organization, union or corporation donations.
