The core campaign is a small share of the budget
Some candidates reported that the organisational core of a Malé campaign – events, materials, headquarters – cost only about MVR 300,000 out of a total budget of MVR 2–3 million. The rest went to buying votes.
What the operational money buys
Campaign headquarters rent around MVR 15,000 per month. Volunteers receive stipends of MVR 200–250 per day. A catered event for around 500 people costs about MVR 45,000. Billboards in prime locations run MVR 15,000–25,000, and influencer endorsements were priced from MVR 10,000. For island races, transport budgets alone ranged from MVR 300,000 to 700,000.
Election day
The final 24 hours bring their own costs: last-minute cash persuasion in MVR 500 and 1,000 notes, taxi fleets moving voters to ballot boxes, speedboat and air travel for voters registered elsewhere, and “emergency response teams” handling final demands. These election-day operations can cost around MVR 300,000.
Key facts
- Between 75% and 90% of Maldivian campaign budgets go to vote-buying.
- The organisational core of a Malé campaign was estimated at around MVR 300,000 out of MVR 2–3 million total.
- Election-day operations, including cash distribution and voter transport, can cost around MVR 300,000.
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