Voter Information
Voter information campaign costs are often covered under voter education budgets. This would include materials and other product design, production of printed and audio-visual materials, training and wages of temporary voter information staff (including those working on enquiry services), costs of media space or time for advertising. (For information on these cost considerations see Cost Considerations.)
Overheads
Patterns of work during the election period may give rise to increases in overhead costs. The electoral management body's permanent offices may be in use for longer hours, incurring additional expense for electricity, heating, cooling or normal building security services. There are also likely to be significant additional quantities of normal office supplies required. Estimates of these costs will need to be included in budgets.
Insurance
Depending on the general legal frameworks for the insurance liability of agencies of the state, there may be a need for the electoral management body to take out insurance coverage, particularly for voters and polling officials within voting sites. Legal responsibilities for insurance coverage need to be carefully reviewed and the appropriate budget provisions made.
Challenges and Legal Costs
Where electoral management bodies do not have in-house legal counsel, or do not receive legal advice and representation free of charge from other government agencies, some provision should be made for costs of
- legal advice required for any clarification of the legal framework;
- legal representation as a party to any court challenges regarding voting operations processes or election results.
Provision for costs of investigations of challenges and of any alleged electoral offences may also need to be made.
Minor Costs
Some provision should be made for petty cash requirements to cover small or emergency purchases by local election administration offices or voting station managers.
