Quebec election set to cost $94M - Action News
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Montreal

Quebec election set to cost $94M

Turns out paying for staff, reimbursements, printing out ballots and sending out information cards all cost a whole lot of money.

Yes, you read that right more than half of that pays for election-time salaries

The estimated cost of the Quebec 2018 provincial election is $94.2 million. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press, Illustration)

Turns out paying for staff, reimbursing political parties, printing out ballots and sending out information cards all cost a whole lot of money.

According to Quebec's Chief Electoral Officer, the estimated cost of the 2018 provincial election is $94.2 million.

How much, you ask, wide-eyed?

Breaking it down, a little more than half of that amount goes paysfor staff: $49.1 million for the 67,000 people hiredtoman the polling stations, prep the information cards and work at the head office.

Renting offices,sending out the information cardsand general publicity cost$20.7 million.

And finally, reimbursing the political parties for expenses and paying the parties' per-vote subsidy arearound $16 million.

There may be good news. The estimated cost of the 2014 election was $88 million, and it ended up coming in lower, at $84.3 million.

Just how much is $94 million, anyway?

  • You could hold Prince Harry and Meghan Markle'sroyal wedding twice,if you really wanted to. According to estimates, their wedding cost between 24 and 30 million pounds. (Photo:Danny Lawson/Reuters)
  • It's about 15times tennis player Eugenie Bouchard's career earnings estimated to be about $6.1 million. (Photo:Anthony Anex/Associated Press)
  • If you were to spend it on Montreal Canadiensseason tickets, you'd be able to snap up about5,233 pairs in the fancy Club Desjardinssection where you'll get free food and soda! (Photo:Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

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