Elections in Ukraine after the war will cost the budget 20 billion hryvnias.

According to ТСН: The upcoming election campaign in Ukraine after the end of martial law will require significant financial expenditures. According to preliminary estimates, the total cost of all types of elections will amount to at least 20 billion hryvnias.

This was reported by Serhiy Dubovyk, the deputy head of the Central Election Commission, in an interview.

Increase in election costs

According to the CEC representative, compared to 2019, when presidential elections cost the budget 2 billion hryvnias, the cost of organizing elections has increased significantly. The main reasons for the rise in costs are inflation and the specifics of electoral legislation.

Dubovyk emphasized that approximately 70% of the budget goes to payments for members of district, polling station, and territorial commissions. The estimated cost of the first round of elections will be 4–5 billion hryvnias, and in case of holding a second round, this amount will increase to 6.5–7 billion hryvnias.

“On average, the election campaign for parliamentary elections and local elections cost the CEC about 4-5 billion hryvnias. The presidential campaign is one and a half times more expensive if there will be a second round,” Dubovyk explained.

Significant challenges for the budget

Serhiy Dubovyk also stressed that the basic figures from the CEC do not fully reflect the real picture, as there are additional expenses for local communities and currency risks.

“Taking into account the expenses of local government bodies, if we talk about all three types of elections, it is approximately 20 billion hryvnias. This is a conditional figure, but it is alive — and it is not less,” concluded the deputy head of the CEC.

Moreover, Dubovyk added that the final amount could be even higher due to the need to expand the network of polling stations abroad. This will lead to significant currency expenses for renting premises and logistics in other countries where millions of Ukrainian refugees are located.

The representative of the Commission emphasized that such a financial volume is a “serious challenge” for the state budget in the context of the country’s recovery.

It is worth noting that in early December, in an interview, US President Donald Trump stated the necessity of conducting presidential elections in Ukraine. According to him, Kyiv “is using the war to avoid conducting elections.”

Earlier, the CEC issued a statement about the impossibility of conducting elections without changing legislation.

Given the economic challenges that the country faces during recovery, financing the election campaign raises considerable concern in society. Addressing this issue may require efforts from the state in terms of budget optimization and attracting additional resources. Clearly, well-organized elections will remain an essential factor for stability and trust in state institutions.