UPDATE: Mayor to pay for mayoral byelection

Newly elected MLA Dan Ashton will foot the bill for a Penticton mayoral by-election.

Ashton won the provincial race on Tuesday to become the new Liberal MLA for Penticton. The city's mayor has asked for an extended leave of absence which runs out on May 31. He also publicly stated he would personally foot the by-election bill – up to $35,000.

Ashton said he's being fiscally responsible for footing the bill.

"The issues Penticton has been through.. I'm not going to see Penticton have to pay for a byelection."

Acting mayor Garry Litke confirmed Ashton did promise to pay up to $35,000. Litke also expects the byelection to be held this September. Ashton must first resign and time must be given to inform the public and allow would-be mayoral candidates to step forward. Litke plans to submit his own name.

He's been a councillor for 7.5 years and has stated in the past he would run for the mayor's chair when the time came.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1