Whangārei political candidate charged with election breaches

Clinton Dearlove on the campaign trail in 2011 when he was standing for the Mana Party in Te Tai Tonga. Photo / John Stone

A Northland political candidate has been charged with failing to declare his expenses and donations from the 2020 election.

Clinton Dearlove, of Whangārei, appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Monday last week charged with two breaches of the Electoral Act.

One breach relates to a requirement to file a return of election expenses — or a nil return if the candidate didn't spend anything — within 70 working days of polling day.

The other is for failing to declare any donations within the same 70-day timeframe.

Under the rules candidates have to provide the names and addresses of any donors giving more than $1500 (or $50 if the donor is an overseas person).

He could not be contacted by the Advocate.

A teacher by profession, Dearlove stood in Te Tai Tokerau in 2020 as an independent candidate and gained 216 votes. The seat was won by Labour's Kelvin Davis with the Māori Party's Mariameno Kapa-Kingi second.

In 2014 Dearlove also contested Te Tai Tokerau as an independent while in 2011 he stood for the Mana Party in Te Tai Tonga. He impressed pundits in his first televised debate on Native Affairs and gained 1360 votes.

In 2019 he challenged Raniera ''Sonny'' Tau for the chairmanship of Te Rūnanga-a-nui o Ngapuhi. Tau was re-elected to the board with 567 votes to Dearlove's 398. It was Tau's first serious challenge for the role. He has since resigned.

Dearlove is due back in court on August 26.