Judge dismisses recount in Nanaimo mayoral race

The last-place finisher in Nanaimo’s race for mayor has failed to convince a judge that a recount is needed.

Raymon Farmere — who pulled in 365 votes in the Oct. 20 municipal election — saw his recount application dismissed by Judge Parker MacCarthy in provincial court.

Three candidates competed in the mayor’s race. Five-term MLA Leonard Krog won with 20,040 votes. Second-place finisher businessman Don Hubbard pulled in 6,802 votes.

Farmere, 36, a Vancouver Island University ancillary services online marketing and technology clerk, applied for a recount under B.C.’s Local Government Act.

Sheila Gurrie, Nanaimo’s chief election officer, said she did not believe that Farmere met the threshold for a recount as outlined in the act.

Farmere questioned the accuracy of the audio-visual display used on election night at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, where results were posted, saying there had been a computer glitch.

Gurrie said in an email that a computer issue at the conference centre had nothing to do with the preliminary results announced election night or with the official results, released on Oct. 24.

Krog, who spent several hours at the courthouse because of the recount application, was not pleased that the application came forward in the first place.

“Nanaimo enthusiastically voted in huge numbers for positive change. This is just one more story that does not give us positive attention. I’m extremely disappointed to say the least.”

Nanaimo has made headlines in the past several years for ongoing infighting, lawsuits, investigations by special prosecutors and leaks of confidential information. Krog ran on a platform of good governance, promising citizens they won’t be embarrassed again by city hall.

“It was baseless allegations, an indirect attack on city workers who conducted an election well,” Krog said.

There was no basis that a judicial recount was warranted, he said.

“And what is even more farcical of, course, is the numbers involved.”