It will cost the UK Government more than £100 million to take part in the European Parliament elections on May 23, according to an analysis of the cost of staging the last ballot in 2014.
Key Facts
The elections took place in 12 electoral constituencies across all of the UK and Gibraltar. The total cost was £108,689,344, paid from the UK Government’s Consolidated Fund. This total includes the costs for the distribution of poll cards, the operation of polling stations, provision of postal votes, the count, and the fees paid to returning officers for their services in delivering the elections. It also includes the cost of the delivery of candidates’ election leaflets.
Ballot boxes set on fire in Bajura
It included
• £2.5 million for returning officers’ services;
• £40.6 million for candidate mailings
At the election:
• 46.5 million people were registered and eligible to vote; of whom,
• 7.2 million were registered to vote by post; and
• 16.5 million cast a vote.
The elections were conducted by:
• 11 Regional Returning Officers;
• 381 Local Returning Officers.