PN candidate Eve Borg Bonello spent €600 on frugal election campaign

Nationalist MP Eve Borg Bonello spent just over €600 throughout her 40-day election campaign, with the bulk of expenses stemming from Facebook advertising.

Borg Bonello published a brief breakdown of her campaign expenses on her Facebook page. Her team spent €200 on business cards, €256.40 on Facebook advertising, and €50 on stationery.

Additionally, she used a €100 donation to cover the price of branded pens and a banner used for her pop-up office.

In total, her campaign expenses cost her €506.40. This figure does not include the money donated. 

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola similarly published his campaign expenses on election day. His campaign cost €3,283, almost €100 a day, while he received €455 in donations.

So far, Borg Bonello and Cassola are the only candidates who have published their campaign expenses.

Election candidates are legally required to submit their income and expenditure reports to the Electoral Commission. Candidates cannot spend more than €20,000 for every district they contest. 

Earlier on Monday, the commission reminded candidates that they have until Monday 2 May to submit their reports.

“Whosoever fails to submit such report or submits it late would be breaching the provisions in regulations 41 to 52 of the Fourteenth Schedule in the General Elections Act (Cap. 354) and would be liable to the stipulated consequences,” the commission said.