Campaign spending from May 2022 Assembly election published

27 Oct 2022 12:53 PM

The campaign spending returns of parties that contested the May 2022 Assembly election were published yesterday by The Electoral Commission. 

16 parties reported spending a total of £515,434 on campaigning during the regulated period, which ran from 5 January 2022 to polling day on 5 May 2022. 

The Commission has also published headline figures on candidate spending and donations. The figures have been presented in a new interactive tool that makes the data more accessible. 

Jonathan Mitchell, Manager of The Electoral Commission for Northern Ireland, said:

“It is vital that voters can see clearly and accurately how money is spent to influence them at elections. The publication of campaign spending information relating to the Assembly election in May is one of the ways we deliver transparency for voters, which is essential to our democratic process.”

The 10 highest spending parties at the 2022 Assembly election were:

Party Expenditure
Alliance - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland £83,166
Aontú £61,385
Democratic Unionist Party - D.U.P. £51,916
Green Party £6,242
People Before Profit Alliance £29,858
SDLP (Social Democratic and Labour Party) £41,056
Sinn Féin £178,199
Socialist Party (Northern Ireland) £1,951
Traditional Unionist Voice - TUV £29,724
Ulster Unionist Party £31,812

Full details of reported spending are available on our website. (Opens in new window)

Two parties did not submit their returns by the due date. These are being considered in line with our Enforcement Policy.

For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 02890 894 032, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk 

Notes to editors 

1. The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:

  • enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
  • regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
  • using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency

The Commission was set up in 2000 and reports to the UK and Scottish Parliaments.

2. Every political party that contested the Assembly election was required to submit a campaign expenditure return to the Electoral Commission. The deadlines for delivering spending returns depended on how much a party spent. As all parties spent less than £250,000 they were required to submit their returns by 5 August 2022. 

3. The Commission has published the returns as they were submitted by the party. Where appropriate, we will consider any inaccuracies or incomplete information in line with our Enforcement Policy.

4. Candidates who stood in the election submitted their spending returns to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland. Election agents for candidates were required to deliver an election spending return to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland within 35 calendar days of the election result being declared.  Full copies of candidate spending and donation returns can be viewed at the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. All figures are rounded to the nearest £.