Saanich byelection winner spent $33,477
Contribution cap of $1,200 will change landscape for 2018 municipal elections
Karen Harper spent heavily to win a one-year term on Saanich council.
Harper spent $33,477 on her September byelection campaign, according to disclosure documents just released by Elections B.C.
“Holy smokes!” said Michael Prince, Lansdowne professor of social policy at the University of Victoria, when told of the amount.
“That surprises me. That’s a lot more money than I thought would be spent on a byelection for one year.”
In the documents, Harper lists a personal contribution of $9,829 to the campaign. Other major contributions included $5,000 from a numbered company whose sole director is Allen Vandekerkhove, $3,000 from Mike Geric Construction and $4,615 from Harbhajun Sall.
The most expensive component of Harper’s campaign was $11,633 for postage and courier services.
Signs and billboards cost more than $9,000. She spent more than $5,000 on brochures and pamphlets, about $3,000 on television advertising and about $1,565 on radio, the documents say.
Harper won the Sept. 23 byelection with 2,340 votes — 24.59 per cent of the ballots cast — narrowly edging Rebecca Mersereau, who received 2,238 votes.
Mersereau’s campaign cost $22,804, of which she is lists $7,192 as a personal contribution.
Other major contributions included: $10,200 from Naomi Devine and $1,000 from the Purdey Group.
Third-place finisher Nathalie Chambers, who received 1,856 votes, had election expenses of $19,829.
Ten candidates competed for the council seat, which became vacant when longtime councillor Vic Derman died unexpectedly on March 17.
Michael Geoghegan, who received 863 votes, listed expenses of $16,648, Ned Taylor, who received 597, votes spent $1,894. Rob Wickson, who received 577 votes, spent $6,714. Shawn Newby received 465 votes and spent $2,477.
Marsha Henderson received 334 votes, with expenditures of $873. Keith Davidoff received 163 votes and spent $12. Art Pollard received 83 votes and listed expenses of $360.
A Saanich councillor is paid about $40,500 a year.
Prince said the spending could be “daunting” for some people considering civic office.
“I think it could have a chilling effect. Absolutely,” he said.
Prince said the landscape will have changed by the next October’s municipal election. New provincial legislation puts a $1,200 cap per year on individual contributions.
That limit would also apply on how much candidates can contribute to their own campaigns.