Price tag for 2016 provincial vote $13.5M: Elections Manitoba
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/10/2017 (2983 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The cost of holding last year’s 41st provincial general election was $13.5 million, according to Elections Manitoba.
In its annual report, the agency said the costs include the operation of 57 returning offices and 2,700 voting stations across the province.
The election effort involved scaling up a permanent Elections Manitoba staff of 17 to a 10,000-person operation, said chief electoral officer Shipra Verma.
Her office also reviewed the election financial statements of the 238 candidates and six registered political parties.
“All the activities of our office are driven by our legislative mandate to deliver free, fair and accessible elections, while providing service and information to the public and assistance to political entities in fulfilling their obligations,” Verma said in a press release accompanying the release of the annual report.
The chief electoral officer has recommended creation of a permanent voter register and several other legislative changes, some of which have been introduced in Bill 27, The Elections Amendment Act, which is expected to be debated in the upcoming legislative session.
“Two important objectives guided these recommendations: improving the voting experience and achieving administrative efficiencies,” says Verma. “The proposed amendments reflect consultations held with all parties through the advisory committee, experiences from past elections and best practices of other jurisdictions.”
In addition to the $13.5-million cost of conducting the April 19, 2016 vote, Elections Manitoba also reimbursed $1.5 million in eligible costs to candidates and $1.5 million to registered political parties. Another $404,883 was paid in auditor subsidies. That brought the total public expenditure up to nearly $17 million.
The report contains an election financial statement for each registered party and candidate required to file, as well as annual statements from parties and constituency associations. A historical summary of contributions made to registered parties over the past 10 years is also included.
To see the full report, visit Elections Manitoba’s website at www.electionsmanitoba.ca.