Monday, in accordance with Yorkton's General Election Bylaw the Disclosure of Mayoral and Councillor Election Campaign Contributions and Expenses, was provided to the regular meeting of City Council.
"In the summer of 2020, Council set direction to provide for a disclosure of municipal election campaign contributions and expenses for all candidates in The General Election Bylaw. This is the first time this has been enacted for the City of Yorkton Municipal Elections and was done so to increase transparency," explained Jessica Matsalla – Director of Legislation & Procedures (City Clerk), with the City at the meeting.
"Bylaw 10/2020, Part III requires that all candidates file a statement of election expenses/contributions with the Returning Officer no later than three months following the election date. The statement of Election Expenses and Contributions consists of a Statutory Declaration indicating the total campaign contributions and the total campaign expenses of the candidate; and a list of the names and amounts for each contributor in excess of $200.00 for the period after and including June 1, 2020."
The document showed Mayor Mitch Hippsley received $4,627 in contributions, while having election expenses of $5,027.
Mayoral candidate Aaron Kienle received $1,980 in contributions while having expenses of $3,226.
Among the 15 candidates for Council C.V. Sastry was shown to receive the most contributions at $800, while 11 candidates showed no contribution dollars.
Councillor candidate Lauretta Ritchie-McInnes spent the most among the 15 candidates with expenses of $2,345, slightly more than sitting Councillor Randy Goulden at $2,121. Dustin Brears had expenses in excess of $2,000, at $2,053.
Three of the successful candidates for Council; Darcey Zaharia, Chris Wyatt and Quinn Haider shows expenses of less than $1,000.
"Any candidates who failed to comply with submission of their disclosure documents would have been subject to a $300 fine, but there was full compliance from all candidates of the 2020 election," noted Matsalla.
