In an unexpected twist of bureaucratic logic, Spain’s Ministry of Interior has announced plans to spend €91,000 on a private contractor to reimburse postal voting costs amounting to just €85,500. Critics have labelled the contract as ‘absurdly inefficient’.
The refund relates to the 18,158 overseas voters who participated in the European elections this past June. Under Spanish electoral law, the government is obliged to reimburse their postal costs. However, it claims to lack the logistical capacity to do so directly. As a result, the Ministry has opted to outsource the process, leading to a bizarre bureaucratic contract where the administrative cost exceeds the refund itself.
Postal refund mechanism
The Ministry of Interior, tasked with ensuring that the voting process remains fair and accessible, is adhering to Spain’s ‘Ley Orgánica de Régimen Electoral General’. This law mandates that postal voting costs be covered for citizens living abroad. Of the total 69,021 overseas voters, 18,158 are eligible for this refund. To comply with the law, the Ministry has chosen to use postal money orders—a secure but evidently costly option—to deliver the reimbursements, at an estimated average of €4.71 per voter.
Outsourcing voter refunds due to lack of in-house capacity
Adding to the bureaucratic contract tangle, officials have stated that neither the materials nor the manpower exists within the Ministry to carry out the reimbursements in-house. As such, they have initiated a contract with a private firm to execute the process. With a price tag of €91,000—more than the total amount being refunded—the decision has understandably raised eyebrows.
The price of convenience
The rationale behind the outsourcing appears to focus on ensuring convenience and security for voters. According to the Ministry, postal money orders are seen as a safe and widely accepted payment method. Additionally, this saves voters the hassle of travelling to collect the refunds. In cases where postal money orders are unavailable, international bank transfers will be used.