Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart's third election win for the city's top job was also the most expensive, according to recently released financial disclosure statements for the 2014 civic campaign.
According to the Elections BC documents, Stewart spent $73,460 during his campaign, receiving 15,002 votes, or roughly $4.90 for every ballot cast in his favour.
Not to be outdone, challenger Lou Sekora, who received 5,705 votes, spent $67,850 on his campaign. Mark Mahovlich, the third place finisher in the mayoral race, did not raise or spend any money on his campaign and received 859 votes.
The money the candidates received came from a variety of sources.
Stewart's largest donor was himself after he cut a cheque to his own campaign for $19,470.
But developers were also prominent on the mayor's donation list, with Burke Mountain LP offering $7,500 and RPMG Holdings donating $6,500. Blue Sky Properties contributed $5,000, while Westwood Ridge Development ($2,000), Polygon ($2,000), Marcon Developments ($3,500), TL Housing Solutions ($1,000), Infinity Properties ($4,000), Cressey Development ($2,500), Morningstar Homes ($1,000) and Wesgroup Properties LP ($2,500) all contributed to Stewart's campaign coffers.
Sekora received his fair share of contributions from developers as well, with some companies even making contributions to both campaigns. Polygon, for example, donated $1,000 to Sekora's campaign while Burke Mountain LP ($5,000), Morningstar ($1,000), Westwood Ridge ($1,000) and RPMG Holdings ($2,500) contributed to the longtime councillor's losing effort.
Eagle Q Partners Incorporated from North Vancouver was Sekora's biggest backer, donating $30,000 - almost half of his total - to the campaign.
CUPE was also a factor on Sekora's contributors list, donating $9,000 in the effort to unseat the incumbent Stewart.
Labour unions were large contributors to several council candidates as well.
Councillors Bonita Zarrillo and Chris Wilson, both members of the CCA/Protect Coquitlam slate that was backed by NDP MP Fin Donnelly and NDP MLA Selina Robinson, each received $4,000 from CUPE and $3,134 from the New Westminster District Labour Council.
But the vast majority of the contributions came from the corporate sector, which spent $198,510 on the 2014 campaign, while labour unions donated $51,470.
Of the eight people who won seats on Coquitlam council, corporations donated $163,110, compared to labour donations, which totalled $22,368.
Coun. Craig Hodge, who topped the polls with 13,495 votes, raised the most money - $40,172 - and spent $37,728 on his campaign, or roughly $2.80 per vote.
The council candidate who spent the least but still managed to get elected was Coun. Dennis Marsden, who raised $19,900 and spent $20,508, or $1.98 per vote for his fourth-place showing.
MAYOR
Richard Stewart
Raised: $71,220.42
Spent: $73,460.42
Cost per vote: $4.90
Lou Sekora
Raised: $67,850
Spent: $67,850
Cost per vote: $11.89
Mark Mahovlich
Raised: $0
Spent: $0
Cost per vote: 0
COUNCILLORS
Craig Hodge
Raised: $40,172.67
Spent: $37,728.22
Cost per vote: $2.80
Terry O'Neill
Raised: $24,811.31
Spent: $24,980.36
Cost per vote: $2.13
Brent Asmundson
Raised: $33,219.56
Spent: $33,219.56
Cost per vote: $3.01
Dennis Marsden
Raised: $19,900.22
Spent: $20,508.03
Cost per vote: $1.98
Teri Towner
Raised: $21,223.76
Spent: $20,562.15
Cost per vote: $2.01
Chris Wilson
Raised: $39,517.68
Spent: $38,926.75
Cost per vote: $3.84
Mae Reid
Raised: $30,001.13
Spent: $30,281.13
Cost per vote: $3.13
Bonita Zarrillo
Raised: $38,046.27
Spent: $38,046.32
Cost per vote: $4.78
@GMcKennaTC
