What an election costs

Political change doesn't come cheap in Canada. Aside from the millions raised by political parties to fuel their campaigns, there's the cost of the electoral process and millions in reimbursements to parties and candidates - borne by the taxpayer. The cost of the 2006 election was slightly less than the 2004 election, $270 million, compared to $277 million.

But the number is up significantly from $200.6 million in 2000. That's because changes to the election financing laws in 2004 significantly altered the way those reimbursements are done and increased the cost of holding an election. Here's a comparison of what Elections Canada spent on the 2000 and 2006 elections:

Election costs
38th general election - June 28, 2004	39th general election – Jan. 23, 2006
Total cost $277.8 million	Total cost $270 million
Breakdown of expenses Election delivery activities, including fees to election workers and poll officials, printing lists of electors, and renting offices of returning officers and polling sites:$108 million Pre-election activity, including electoral material and supplies, the training of returning officers and other key staff. Maintaining the National Register of Electors since the 2000 general election, ad and outreach campaigns, support network and information technology support:$111.5 million Reimbursements to candidates and parties according to new political financing provisions under Bill C-24:Estimated at $58.3 million	Breakdown of expenses Election delivery activities, including fees to election workers and poll officials, printing lists of electors, and renting offices of returning officers and polling sites. Pre-election activity, including electoral material and supplies, the training of returning officers and other key staff. Maintaining the National Register of Electors since the 2000 general election, ad and outreach campaigns, support network and information technology support:$215 million. Reimbursements to candidates and parties according to new political financing provisions under Bill C-24: $55 million.

Election costs

38th general election - June 28, 2004

39th general election – Jan. 23, 2006

Total cost
$277.8 million

Total cost
$270 million

Breakdown of expenses

Election delivery activities, including fees to election workers and poll officials, printing lists of electors, and renting offices of returning officers and polling sites:$108 million

Pre-election activity, including electoral material and supplies, the training of returning officers and other key staff. Maintaining the National Register of Electors since the 2000 general election, ad and outreach campaigns, support network and information technology support:$111.5 million

Reimbursements to candidates and parties according to new political financing provisions under Bill C-24:Estimated at $58.3 million

Breakdown of expenses

Election delivery activities, including fees to election workers and poll officials, printing lists of electors, and renting offices of returning officers and polling sites. Pre-election activity, including electoral material and supplies, the training of returning officers and other key staff. Maintaining the National Register of Electors since the 2000 general election, ad and outreach campaigns, support network and information technology support:$215 million.

Reimbursements to candidates and parties according to new political financing provisions under Bill C-24: $55 million.

One change may be saving Canadians money. In 1996, Elections Canada began maintaining a National Register of Electors, rather than creating a new list each time through door-to-door registration. Elections Canada reports the change has saved well over $100 million to date.