What do elections really cost and is BallotPoint cost effective?
All-in costs for mail ballot elections vary from union to union, but are generally in the range of $5.50 to $7.50 per member. With BallotPoint you can expect a range of 20 percent to 40 percent savings. There are many variables in determining the cost per member. Direct costs are those costs that can be readily identified such as printing, envelopes, postage, CPA firm oversight, etc. Indirect costs are more difficult to identify but contribute to the cost per member none the less. Costs like lost time wages, Union administrative personnel time, travel or lodging expenses paid to Election Committee members, etc. would be considered as an indirect cost of conducting the election. It is important to identify and account for all costs in determining the real cost per member for an election.
