Stewart biggest spender in byelection

Ben Stewart spent more than $87,000 to regain his job as MLA for Kelowna West.

Stewart spent the most of all the candidates in February’s byelection, at $87,789.70, followed by Green candidate Robert Stupka, at $50,483.74, NDP candidate Shelley Cook, at $49,337.52, and Conservative candidate Mark Thompson, at $6,418.50, according to information released by Elections BC.

Libertarian Kyle Geronazzo spent only $250, for the nomination fee.

Stewart’s biggest expense was $19,529.39 for media advertising.

Advertising was also the biggest expense for Cook ($16,389.12), Stupka ($17,342.50) and Thompson ($4,035.79).

Stewart spent the most of everyone on promotional material, including signs and brochures, at $8,389.20, followed by Stupka, at $7,622.73.

Stewart also spent the most on office rent, at $3,127.72, followed by Cook, at $2,710.15, and Stupka, at $1,111.16.

Stewart was the only one to devote money to research and polling, spending $3,098.67.

Cook spent the most of all candidates on salaries and benefits, at $14,383.66, followed by Stewart, at $12,826.50.

None of the other candidates spent money on salaries or benefits.

Cook also spent the most on furniture and equipment, at $1,206.27, followed again by Stewart, at $355.39.

Cook was the biggest spender on office supplies and stationery, at $2,640.70, followed by Stupka, at $1,111.16, Thompson, at $644.04, and Stewart, at $641.36.

Cook and Thompson were the only ones to claim travel expenses, with Cook spending $2,425.35 and Thompson spending $770.41.

Stupka spent the most on convention fees, at $2,775.59.

Only Thompson also spent money on convention fees, at $82.80.

Stupka also spent the most on insurance ($327.66), postage ($1,481.40), professional services ($2,500), social functions ($1,301.37) and information technology ($1,279.89).

Stewart won the byelection with just under 57 per cent of the votes.

The Kelowna West riding became vacant when former premier Christy Clark resigned both as leader of the B.C. Liberal party and as a member of the legislative assembly last summer following her party’s fall from power.

Stewart won the riding in 2013 but stepped down to allow Clark to run after she lost the Vancouver-Point Grey riding.