Newly elected Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris was the top spender locally in May's provincial election, while Green Party candidate Karen McDowell was the most efficient.
Morris, who jumped into the race in February after three-term MLA Pat Bell was forced to step aside due to health concerns, spent $120,509, according to Elections BC disclosures released on Monday. The largest line item for Morris was media advertising, representing just under $50,000 of his overall total.
Fellow Liberal Shirley Bond ran the second most expensive campaign, racking up $111,372 in winning her seat in Prince George-Valemount.
Both local NDP candidates trailed their Liberal counterparts in spending, with Bobby Deepak in Prince George-Mackenize cracking six figures with $100,678. In Prince George-Valemount, Sherry Ogasawara spent $94,055.
McDowell, who spent just $3,464 to run from the Greens in Prince George-Mackenzie spent an average of $3.17 for each of the 1,094 votes she picked up. She spent the vast majority of her campaign funds ($2,947) on newsletters and promotional materials.
Prince George-Valemount Conservative candidate Nathan Giede was the second most efficient, spending a total of $7,644 and picking up 1,105 votes ($6.92 per vote).
Terry Rysz was the least efficient of the local candidates, spending $21.44 for each vote he received as the Conservative candidate in Prince George-Mackenzie. Rysz spent $18,392 but only received 858 votes.
Bond, who was elected to serve a fourth term, spent $9.86 for each of the 11,291 votes she picked up. It cost Morris $11.27 each of his 10,689 votes.
Ogaswara ($13.22 per vote, 7,116 votes) was slightly more efficent than Deepak ($14.97, 6,725).
The Liberal and NDP candidates received most of their campaign funds through transfers from their party's central office or their respective constituency associations. Those running for smaller parties used a combination of party transfers and individual donations to fund their runs for office.
Donald Roberts, who ran for the Christian Heritage Party in Prince George-Valemount applied for and received an extension to file his expenses.
