Elections Manitoba issued its 2016 annual report on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, and with it the accounting for the general election that was held in April 2016.
According to the report, the cost of the election itself was $13.5 million with another $3.4 million on reimbursements and auditor subsidies.
“This annual report gives the public a picture of the preparation required to run a general election,” says Chief Electoral Officer Shipra Verma. “From opening 57 returning offices and 2,700 voting stations across Manitoba, to scaling up from a permanent staff of 17 to a 10,000-person operation, to reviewing the election financial statements of 238 candidates and six registered parties, the report gives a sense of the magnitude of this province-wide event.”
The annual report also made some recommendations for future elections in the province, many of which have already been introduced in Bill 27 earlier this year. The report recommends the creation of a permanent voter register, administrative change to reflect emerging voting trends, legislative clarity and innovation in the electoral process.
“Two important objectives guided these recommendations: improving the voting experience and achieving administrative efficiencies,” says Verma. “The proposed amendments reflect consultations held with all parties through the advisory committee, experiences from past elections and best practices of other jurisdictions.”
-News 4-
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