Election 2020: This could be our most expensive general election, as costs are approaching $ 100 million

Voters are participating this year in what could be the most expensive general election in the country, with costs projected to reach $ 99 million.

Add to that the costs of euthanasia and cannabis referendums ($ 14.6 million) and the bill is roughly $ 113.6 million. Additionally, the Election Commission has also received an additional $ 28.705 million for measures to conduct elections in a Covid-19 environment.

By contrast, the 2017 general election cost $ 47 million.

Changing voter behavior, increasing voter turnout and increasing costs are some of the factors behind additional spending for the 2020 elections, the commission said.

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More staff is needed to support new Election Day registration and digital registration options, increase community engagement, and establish more advanced voting locations.

The commission said there are also higher owning, printing and shipping costs and greater physical and cyber security.

Political parties are also spending more to attract voters, as data from the commission on previous elections shows.

Workers spent $ 3.6 million in 2017 and $ 1.2 million in 2014, while National’s spending was $ 3.9 million and $ 2.5 million.

New Zealand First’s election bill was $ 909,000 in 2017 and $ 286,000 in 2014, while the Green Party spent $ 1.3 million and $ 1.2 million in the previous two elections.

Campaign managers were initially surprised by the $ 99 million bill, but seem comfortable with the idea that it will lead to more voting and a higher level of democracy.

They all support a shift to a four-year parliamentary cycle as well, where costs could be spread out.

Dave Macpherson, a member of the Labor Party, is the campaign manager for candidate Kerrin Leoni for the Waikato electorate.

“If you have the backing of the big corporations, you probably don’t mind an election every three years, but if you’re like us, relying on pie stands, barbecue, hot dogs, four years will give us that extra time to raise money.

“We’ve raised about $ 6,500 and we’ve probably already spent it all.”

Macpherson said that once an election is over, planning begins for the next one just weeks later.

“A four-year cycle could give people a break and encourage more people to help.”

Georgie Dansey led the Green Party campaign in the Hamilton East and Hamilton West seats in the 2017 elections. In 2020, she is a candidate on the Labor Party list.

“In 2017, we ran a nine-month campaign and I would spend 10 hours a week on it, in addition to working full time and having two children, so it’s a huge sacrifice.

“We got little funding from the party, so we had to raise money ourselves.”

The most popular fundraiser turned out to be quiz night, where the campaign could charge an entry fee and hold a raffle for additional income.

“Another, which I presented for a local government campaign, was a clothing swap, where people pay to go in, bring a bag of clothes and take a bag home.”

Dansey said a four-year term would help campaign managers improve their recruiting and give volunteers time to recover before heading to the next election.

“I was surprised by the cost of [2020] elections … but I think that having more places for people to vote, more education to know when and where to vote, is good for democracy. “

Political commentator and former MP Peter Dunne said he was happy to hear the leaders of the Labor and National parties, Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins, support a move toward a four-year election cycle.

“The question is, can you take that united approach and make a change? It could have to be done by public referendum and we have already had two, one in 1967 and one in 1990, both were discarded.

Dunne supports a change to four years to cut costs and reduce pressure on campaign volunteers.

“I remember that under First Past the Post you would have more than 100 people involved in your campaign.

“Some were with you since election night and you made sure they were thanked and you stayed in touch with them so you could visit them again.”

Dunne retired from politics in 2017 and said that, as a general rule, he would spend between $ 20,000 and $ 30,000 on a successful campaign.

The New Zealand local government had also lobbied for a four-year term for councils.

National MP Lawrence Yule, former New Zealand Mayor and Local Government Speaker, supports a four-year term as long as it’s not just about saving money.

“It’s about giving politicians on councils and in government more time to get on with their business rather than worrying about winning the next election.

“New politicians can take about six months to find their rhythm and in the last year, spend nine months in elections.”

University of Waikato political science professor Justin Phillips said a longer term would produce better democratic decisions, but there are also compelling reasons against change.

“New Zealanders have publicly rejected such a change twice, certainly before the MMP era.

“Anyway, New Zealand governments routinely last more than three years, and the Third Labor Government in the early 1970s represents the most recent exception.

“Finally, criticism of the current situation in the US could point to four-year terms as a main argument for maintaining Parliament’s current three-year term.”