The Chief Electoral Commissioner today confirmed that the quoted expense of €4,631,688 includes the cost of running both the referendum and the 34 local council elections.

In a statement following media reports on expenditure incurred to conduct the April 2015 polls, the Chief Electoral Commissioner said that, whenever local council elections are held in conjunction with a national election or referendum, it is not possible to separate the expenditure. Major examples are the production and distribution of voting documents, the service rendered by assistant electoral commissioners in polling stations and the various transport requisites.

It is therefore confirmed that the quoted expense of €4,631,688 includes the cost of running both the referendum and the 34 local council elections.

Comparative and typical examples are the 2013 General Elections and the 2014 MEP Elections, wherein local council elections were also held jointly and simultaneously with the respective electoral activity.