2 October 2020
Kirstin Smith
[email address] Dear Kirstin
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 2020/31
I refer to your email of 7 September 2020 to the Electoral Commission in which you requested, under
the Official Information Act 1982 (‘the Act’):
“a full breakdown on the costs of the last 4 elections. I would like to know exactly [what] the
cost to the tax payer is for holding elections, i.e. costs of running polling booths, what amount
is contributed to the campaigns, marketing material and advertising for enrolling to vote.”
During the period that you have requested information for, the delivery of enrolment and voting
services has transitioned from being delivered by three separate agencies, to the establishment of one
agency, the Electoral Commission, that is now responsible for all aspects of enrolment and voting.
The Electoral Commission was established from 1 October 2010 adopting the functions of the current
Chief Electoral Officer and the former Electoral Commission. In 2012, the functions of the Chief
Registrar of Electors were transferred to the new Electoral Commission.
For this reason, the following table provides total cost figures for the 2008 and 2011 general elections
and a more detailed breakdown for the 2014 and 2017 general elections.
Expenditure
2008
2011
2014
2017
$000
$000
$000
$000
HQ & Voting Places property costs
5,795
6,529
Staffing costs – HQ, Voting Places
15,618 17,894
EasyVote pack – include printing, insert and postage costs
1,912
2,255
Marketing campaign – include advertising production and
placement on different media channels
5,587
10,105
Supplies – ballot paper, ballot boxes, voting screens etc.
3,036
4,437
Freight costs – delivery supplies to HQ and Voting Places
424
676
IT infrastructure
2,698
2,738
Travel
1,090
1,007
Other
2,666
1,978
Total direct conduct costs for the election over 3 year cycle
30,405 32,543 38,826 47,619
I trust this answers your request. You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to complain to the
Ombudsman if you are not satisfied with the response to your request.
Yours sincerely
Kristina Temel
Manager Legal and Policy
