Initially, the costs of voter education should be considered from the point of view of the election authority. This is one area, however, where it is possible to mount a greater effort by leveraging resources. This can be done by forming strategic partnerships with other state entities and civil society organizations (see Competition and Collaboration and Organisation).
As a result, an election authority will need to determine what baseline activities it needs to undertake. At a minimum, what information needs to be communicated to what audiences. What options exist for communicating with these audiences? What are the cost implications? Since some costs, such as advertising, are likely to be quite high, the election authority will want to ensure that the impact of such an expenditure (see Commercial Advertising) is carefully considered.
Because of the diversity of expenditures comprising a national voter education programme (advertising, mobilising of others, materials production, training, education through schools and tertiary institutions, general statutory communications, and educational programmes), it is difficult to find any particular norm or set of standards.
Election authorities may allocate resources on the basis of an ear-marked portion of their larger budget, an estimated cost per voter, or a specially tailored budget based on a planned programme (see Budgeting and Financing).
