What do you need to get elected?

I was asked today on CFAX by Adam Stirling how much it would take for someone new to get elected to a council in this region.   A few people asked me this on facebook and twitter as well, so here is my take on how much money you need to get elected.

• Saanich - $40,000 and 50 volunteers
• Victoria - $30,000 and 50 volunteers
• Langford - $30,000 and 50 volunteers
• Colwood and Sooke - $15,000 and 20 volunteers
• Central Saanich, Oak Bay, Sidney and Esquimalt - $10,000 and 30 volunteers
• View Royal and North Saanich - I have no idea because I am not certain how you could best use your money to reach people.  Both of them are too big to know enough people personally and neither one has a good focal point to meet people.
• Metchosin and Highlands - money is not the issue, personal contact with enough people is what matters.

I count anyone that volunteers as being the same as a $100 donation.   Some people are worth a lot more and if you want you can count volunteer hours at $10 per hour if you really want to.

If you do not have the money, you can win simply by having enough people volunteer.   A team of 400 volunteers should be enough to be able to win in the city of Victoria.  You will still need some money, conversely, you can not win without having any volunteers if there is a competitive race.

If we look back to the November 2010 by-election in the City of Victoria, Barry Hobbis out spent Marianne Alto, but she made for it with volunteers.