Kelowna council candidate fined for election violation

A candidate in the 2022 Local General Election in Kelowna is facing a fine related to campaign advertising.

Elections B.C. reports that Daniel Joseph was assessed a $100 penalty for sponsoring election advertising without an authorization statement.

The independent, non-partisan organization stated that a complaint regarding lawn signs was filed against Joseph on Sept. 9, 2022, alleging the ads did not include a complete authorization statement as required by section 44 of the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act (LECFA).

An Elections B.C. investigator found that 500 lawn signs had been purchased and did not include the authorization statement, but were later amended using a sticker that contained the appropriate information.

As the original signs were in contravention of the LECFA, Elections B.C. issued a penalty of $100 against Joseph.

Elections B.C. could have fined him up to $5,000 for the contravention.

Joseph is one of four candidates across B.C. assessed a fine for sponsoring election advertising without an authorization statement.

Thomas McDonald of East Kootenay Regional District is also facing a $100 penalty, while Mark Neufeld of Sannich and Brenda Leigh of Strathcona Regional District were fined $150.

Joseph finished 27th in the polls for Kelowna’s councillor election, receiving 2,709, or 7.8 per cent of the vote.

McDonald was elected to his position in the East Kootenay Regional District, while Neufeld and Leigh failed in their bids.