City urged to require election candidates to put up money

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This article was published 28/06/2023 (854 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg has been advised to require candidates for mayor and council to pay a refundable fee when they register.

Richard Kachur, the city’s campaign expenses and contributions officer, also recommended an end to the requirement for campaigns to pay for expenses with cheques.

The recommendations are in his final report on the October 2022 civic election campaign to senior election official Marc Lemoine, which was released on Wednesday.

Kachur’s report suggested candidates for mayor be required to put up $1,500, while contenders for a council seat pay $750 when they register.

He said imposing a registration fee would ensure serious candidates joining the race.

He noted under the current bylaw, campaign expenses are to be made by cheque, which is “no longer realistic in today’s modern age.” He recommended allowing the use of debit and credit cards and PayPal.

The report shows Mayor Scott Gillingham and mayoral runner-up Glen Murray both raised more than they were allowed to spend — $272,400.61 — under the bylaw.

A campaign must turn over any surplus to the city clerk to be held in trust for use by the candidate in the next election. The bylaw excludes certain expenses, such as audit fees and expenses related to fundraisers, from the maximum expense limit, city spokeswoman Tamara Forlanski said.

In Murray’s case, he raised $285,444.23 and spent $285,421.10, of which $268,386.52 was subject to the spending limit. He returned a surplus of $23.13.

Gillingham raised $293,487.42 and spent $286,397.39, of which $269,579.03 was subject to the limit. He put the $7,090.03 surplus into trust.

All mayoral and council candidates were required under the bylaw to submit audited financial statements to the city clerk’s office by May 24, 2023, or Dec. 26, 2022 if they were not officially nominated, or were nominated but withdrew from the ballot.

Kachur’s report noted there were 60 candidates who were supposed to file audited statements — 57 of them did, but three violated the bylaw.

Those statements, prepared by a professional accountant, show the funds a campaign collected and how the money was spent.

Mayoral candidate Jessica Peebles, who withdrew from the race, did not file financial papers. Kachur recommended against prosecuting her under the bylaw, but did not explain why.

Steven Minion, candidate for Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood councillor, did not file statements, while Transcona council candidate Wally Welechenko filed his late. Failing to file statements disqualifies a person from being nominated or elected in the next election, under the bylaw.

Kachur’s other recommendations include allowing campaigns to run a deficit and creating a minimum surplus. Kachur recommended campaigns shouldn’t have to pay back $50 or less, as the amount is insignificant and poses unwarranted processing costs.

Further, he recommended clarifying what is an allowable expense. The bylaw is “very general” and doesn’t include a list of acceptable campaign expenses.

He also recommended allowing campaigns to use an electronic form, rather than a receipt and rebate paper, for contributions.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca