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US elections cost $3.9bn
22/10/2004 13:03 - (SA)
Washington - If anything, democracy does not come cheap. The 2004 elections that involve not only the frenzied presidential race but hundreds of congressional races will cost Americans a record of $3.9bn, according to new projections released here by campaign finance monitors.
And that will not even include gubernatorial and other local races as well as spending on a plethora of political referendums held by individual states.
The non-partisan Centre for Responsive Politics said in a report released on Thursday, the estimated costs represented a 30% increase over the three billion dollars that are believed to have been spent on federal elections four years ago.
"The 2004 presidential and congressional elections will shatter previous records for spending, and the biggest reason is the increase in giving by individuals to candidates and parties," observed Larry Noble, executive director of the think tank.
The presidential race alone, fuelled by massive spending by President George W Bush and his Democratic rival, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, their respective parties and a multitude of support groups, will cost an unprecedented 1.2bn or more, the report pointed out.
- AFP
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