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Bundestag election more expensive than ever? Postal voters are probably the reason - does a law come down to create a novelty?

2021-02-22T15:52:27.360Z


Corona makes many things more expensive - this applies in particular to the federal election in 2021. A pure postal vote also seems conceivable, but the law would have to be changed for this.


Corona makes many things more expensive - this applies in particular to the federal election in 2021. A pure postal vote also seems conceivable, but the law would have to be changed for this.


Saarbrücken - Because of the Corona crisis, the federal election could be more expensive than ever.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior estimated the election on September 26th to cost a total of 107 million euros, reported the "Saarbrücker Zeitung" (Monday).

The ministry cited one of the reasons that significantly more postal voters are expected due to the pandemic.

For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, the cost would exceed the 100 million mark.

The 2017 election cost 92 million euros.

There must be polling stations - Corona or not

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior told the newspaper that an increased proportion of postal voters is expected, because it cannot be ruled out that the election will take place “still under the adverse effects of the Covid 19 pandemic”.

More postal voters also meant higher costs, since the federal government financed the free delivery of polling letters.

Sending election notifications has also become more expensive.

"According to the current legal situation, there must be polling stations," said Ministry spokesman Steve Alter on Monday.

If a Bundestag election - for example because of a pandemic - is planned exclusively as a postal vote, a corresponding legal regulation would first have to be created.

In the Federal Ministry of the Interior, however, nothing is known about such efforts at the moment.

Significantly higher percentage of postal voters expected

Four years ago, the percentage of postal voters nationwide was 28.6 percent.

This time it is expected that a significantly higher proportion of voters will refrain from going to the polling station and prefer to vote from a distance.

A spokesman for the federal returning officer told the newspaper that additional election workers could be due due to Corona.

That would then lead to additional spending on the so-called refreshment money.

Those who work at the polling station receive between 25 and 35 euros.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 60.4 million Germans will be eligible to vote in Germany on September 26th.

Among them are around 2.8 million who can vote for the first time.

The Basic Law provides that the Bundestag is elected every four years.

Half of the cost of the election is reimbursed to the federal states by the federal government.

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Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-02-22

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