Waimate election costs revealed
The four candidates who did not spend a cent to push their claims were all elected to Waimate District Council roles in last year’s local government election.
Details of council candidates’ spending, revealing the biggest spenders were not elected, have been released.
None of the candidates received any electoral donations, forking out $2691.84 in total.
Elected mayoral candidate Craig Rowley and elected Waimate Ward candidate and now deputy mayor Sharyn Cain were two of those who spent no money on their campaigns.
Rowley’s opponent for the mayoralty, Stuart Thomson, was the biggest spender, buying $519.80 worth of election leaflets and a $200.12 candidate advert.
Thomson said he had spent most on leaflets, after he rang a few different establishments to host a meet the candidate event but found most not interested.
However, Thomson’s election spending was less than half the top spend for the Mackenzie District Council of $2288.95, by successful Opuha Ward candidate Anne Munro. Unsuccessful Timaru Ward candidate Graeme Wilson was the top-spending candidate of the three South Canterbury councils, forking out $5479.28.
Waimate Ward candidate Lyndsey Bishop said spending money on advertising, business cards and signs meant he would be better recognised as he had not been living in the district for as long as some of the other candidates. Bishop forked out $643.81, which included the $200 nomination fee and $224.25 on advertising. He was satisfied with how the promotion had benefited his campaign as he also spent a lot of time on the campaign trail, meeting and speaking with people in the community, he said.
Successful Pareora-OtaioMakikihi Ward candidate David Anderson spent the most of the incumbent councillors, $581.86. He put out a brochure to inform people of what he had done, spending $398.53 on design and printing, and $183.33 on distribution.
The other successful PareoraOtaio-Makikihi candidate, Tom O’Connor, did not spend a cent. ‘‘People already knew me and I didn’t see any need in promoting myself.’’ He wrote a newsletter, sent out every three to four months, to highlight council issues and what he was doing in the community. ‘‘Elections are won and lost on performance and ability, rather than promotion.’’
Elected Waimate Ward candidate Peter Collins said he worked on the principle that he was better known in the community. He paid $28.75 for election posters and $200 for the nomination fee.
Another elected ward candidate, Miriam Morton, said she made use of the free forums available.