€4.6 million spring hunting referendum cost includes council elections

A €4.6 million figure tabled in parliament pertaining to the spring hunting referendum in reality includes expenses related to the local council elections, Chief Electoral Commissioner Joseph Church confirmed.

Last week, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna tabled in parliament a letter he received from the Electoral Commission. Potentially misleading parliament, the letter, titled ‘2015 referendum expenses’, gave the impression that the abrogative referendum had cost taxpayers €4,631,688.

However, following further clarification sought by this newspaper, Church confirmed that the figure quoted covered both the council elections and the referendum since they were held “simultaneously and on the same dates”.

“Please note that more often than not local council elections are held in conjunction with some other electoral activity, be it M.E.P.s, referendum or General Elections,” Church said.

“The Local Councils Act (Chap. 363) specifically excludes the separate accounting of such elections.  In fact, when local council elections are held together with some other electoral activity (as the occasion under reference), it is practically impossible to apportion separate expenditure, for example, in respect of Police Officers distributing voting documents.  Similarly, when A.E.C.’s serve voters in Polling Booths, they are simultaneously rendering service to people casting their vote in respect of both activities.

“In this respect, therefore, the outlay being reported in the case of the Referendum, includes both functions since the time being utilised, the human resources being used and the expenditure being incurred will essentially serve both occasions.”

The Chief Electoral Commissioner explained that it was expressly for the economies-of-scale purpose that, over the years, governments tend to combine the local council elections with other electoral activities. 

A comparison with other democratic instruments suggests that the spring hunting referendum in reality cost half of the quoted figure: the 2011 divorce referendum cost €2,203,992 while the 2012 local council elections cost €3,142,144. The latter expense included around half a million on structural works at the counting hall.

Usually, expenses cover remuneration for Electoral Commission workers, assistant electoral commissioners and temporary personnel; utilities, operating materials and supplies and repairs; office services, transport, information services and contractual services, property improvement, hospitality and equipment.

The biggest expense is to cover the remuneration of temporary personnel, which includes counting agents. This year the cost amounted to €1,628,663. 

On the other hand, the subsidised Air Malta flight tickets for voters this year cost €1,349,538.43 whereas the amount paid to Air Malta participating in the 2011 divorce referendum was €644,594.76. The difference in cost is due to a rise in Air Malta fares, having charged €70 per flight ticket as opposed to the €35 charged during the 2011 referendum and the 2013 general elections.

The letter sent by the Electoral Commission to finance minister Edward Scicluna

The breakdown of costs provided by the Electoral Commission