This question is posted by ACE on behalf of Mazin Swadi. 

Question

Dear colleagues 

I am working on a study about voter costs or IHEC in IRAQ , to complete this study I am interested in any information about the following:

1. What criteria that can be used and dependent for voter costs . 

2. Any techniques used to count the costs. 

3. Any experiments for other states about voter costs 

4. Any Available sources that can be benefit from it. 

Thanks,

Mazin Swadi

IHEC, Iraq

Summary of Replies

Practitioner's Network members provided structural examples of voter cost management and  existing practices in certain areas.

First, PN members discussed  the factors that go into voter costs in the conxtext of the structure of elections, including the type of election and the method that is to be used to determine the winner at the end of the day. For instance, voter costs in a Universal Adult Suffrage system (i.e where all those who qualify to participate are allowed to cast a ballot) are vastly different than an electoral college (where a certain group of people is selected to elect a leader for the rest of the population).

Specific factors that need to be considered in voter costs include:

1. Voter Education and sensitization
2. Demarcation of Electoral areas and set up of polling stations
3. Compilation of the voters' register
4. Update of the Voters' register
5. Display of the Voters' register
6. Nominations of candidates
7. Polling day activities
8. Counting, Tallying, Declaration and Gazetting of results

One factor that greatly complicates the calculation of voter costs is the variation between institutions: It is not easy to compare different Electoral Management Bodies because each country decides what attributions the EMB will have to develop or there are some activities developed by an outsourcing company. For example, who is the institution for electoral boundary delimitation, what institution is in charge of the electoral roll, if the ID card has a cost or not, or who are the polling station officials and if they receive payment; if there is public financing and access to media, et cetera.

Sometimes, attitudes of elected officials can have effect on voter cost of subsequent election. For example, if incumbents usually take a 'sabbatical' from the people immediatelay after elections, it would be expensive to get the electorate to turn up for subsequent elections (voter apathy). For example, in Nigeria many prospective voters demand gratification from candidates before supporting them because, from their experience, politicians usually develope 'wings' after winning election.

Some states have concrete formulas for determining voter costs. In Kosovo, the cost of voters is proportional based on the number of voters. An example calculation for 1,500,000 voters would be 1,500,000x0.50 cents for voters =750,000 Euros.

Countries Studied

• Nigeria
• Kosovo

Contributing Members

• Arturo Denieves
• Immaculate Namazzi Mayanja
• Deyanira Galindo
• Charles Obot
• Nysret Bytyqi

External Resources

•  http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-governance/electoral_systemsandprocesses/getting-to-the-core.html

Dear Mazin,

You can take a look at the CORE Project, which was published by the United Nations Development Programme in 2005. In this webpage you will be able to download the Final Report, in which you will find data on the cost of elections, as well as an explanation of the methodology which has been followed. 

Please, visit: 

 http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-governance/electoral_systemsandprocesses/getting-to-the-core.html

Best regards,

-Arturo de Nieves

UNDP, New York

Voter costs depend on a number of factors. These include first of all ; the type of election and the method that is to be used to determine the winner at the end of the day.

For instance is it by Universal Adult Suffrage (i.e where all those who qualify to participate are allowed to cast a ballot) or electoral college (where a certain group of people is selected to elect a leader for the rest of the population or people with a common character like the youth, women or People who are differently abled)?

Is it secret  or open ballot for example in Uganda before now for the Local government Elections, the winner was determined by lining behind the candidates, their representatives or their symbols/pictures; the method was relatively cheap in monetary terms but it did not stand the test of time owing to democratic immaturity: some people could not stand seeing people they thought were for their candidates lining up behind their competitors!

In order to cost an election one needs to integrate costs of all the processes i.e

1. Voter Education and sensitization

2. Demarcation of Electoral areas and set up of polling stations

3. Compilation of the voters' register

4. Update of the Voters' register

5. Display of the Voters' register

6. Nominations of candidates

7. Polling day Activities

8. Counting, Tallying, Declaration and Gazetting of results

In all the above processes there are costs involved in publicity of the process, identification, recruitment, appointment and training of manpower to man the processes, the kind of technology to use hence the type of equipment required like ballot boxes, computers, vehicles, biometric kits, stationery and facilitation which includes fuel, allowances, salaries and wages. However, with all those considered, there is need to cost a contigency plan, just in case the unexepected happens.

It is very difficult to get the cost of elections and it is not easy no compare among different Electoral Management Bodies because each country decides what attributions the EMB will have to develop or there are some activities developed by an outsourcing company. For example, who is the institution for electoral boundary delimitation, what institution is in charge of the electoral roll, if the ID card has a cost or not, or who are the polling station officials and if they receive payment; if there is public financing and access to media, etc.

In Mexico the previous IFE and now INE develops most of these activities there is a high criticism on how expensive is the vote. there is an analysis made by IFE in 2012 on the cost of the vote compared against its budget (only in Spanish) http://www.ine.mx/docs/IFE-v2/DECEYEC/DECEYEC-MaterialesLectura/docs/04_CostoDeLaDemocracia.pdf

Independently on the cost of elections, I rather consider some factors:

1. The political parties represented in Congress, Parliament or Assembly, are the ones who have created the EMB, granted powers and attributions, and most of them approve the budget. The legislators, representing the people, are the ones deciding on how important is to build up trust, equity and the protection of the rights. So how expensive should be to protect the political rights?

2. I consider the elections is not a cost, it is an investment. It is more expensive for the country in terms of life, human rights and even development  to live in dictatorships or in civil wars and the decision to whom will govern been resolved by guns. So, the general consensus should be: "ballots, not bullets".

3. It is important to differentiate or disassociate the nonconformity on how the elected public official is working, or the lack of results of government from the public representatives elected through electoral process is not the EMB's responsibility nor a problem from the electoral process. 

4. When there is lack of trust in the expenditure on the elections, or the political parties or in the EMB, is more important to invest and to work on auditing the finances and imposing real sanctions.

5. The citizen participation is so important in every step. The citizen must not only be participating by voting but they should take an active surveillance and oversight of the political parties and the EMB, particularly in the accuracy not only if there wasn't fraud on the electoral process but in the performance from the public officers elected and their institutions.

Voter cost depends on several factors. These include voter registration system, frequency of general elections, integrity/dependability of the voter register, ballot paper system ( any sudden change in the information contained in the ballot paper close to election might require re- printing of ballot paper and intensive voter education). Sometimes, attitude of elected officials can have effect on voter cost of subsequent election. For example, if incumbents usually take 'sabbatical' from the people immediatelay after elections, it would be expensive to get the electorate to turn up for subsequent elections (voter apathy). For example, in my country many prospective voters demand gratification from candidates before supporting them because, from their experience politicians usually develope 'wings' after winning election.

in our electoral system is proportional to the cost of votuesev determined based on the number of voters and when divided out a figure for campaign Expenditures for the number of voters whether

1500.000x0.50 cents for voters is 750,000 euros should spend parties for campaign

this is expamle for Kosovo

Nysret Bytyqi

Municipal elections Officer 

+37744393735