In the interests of introducing some fact to their fiction, LETTERBOX asked the WDC how much it cost to hold the Maori wards referendum run at the time of the local body election last October. Here’s their reply:
“The additional poll cost amounted to $13,401 + GST for 67,004 electors @ $0.20 + GST per elector.”
Half of this was for the additional information included with the voting mailer and the share of the public notices cost. The other half was for the additional labour involved. The cost does not include postage and other costs that would have been incurred for the local body election anyway.
Is $13,000 to poll all 67,000 electors too much to pay for people to have their say? It seems like good value when compared to the $18,200 the WDC spent last year surveying 500 people about fluoride!