Political Marketing – Campaign Spending in the USA vs the UK

The numbers are of a different magnitude! This post is not to debate whether the spending by political parties is effective, or to look at the potential gullibility of the electorate; it is simply to look at the numbers.

United States

Total Campaign Spending

• In the 2020 US presidential election, nearly $14 billion was spent on federal election campaigns, making it the most expensive campaign in U.S. history[1].
• For the 2024 election cycle, presidential candidates had already raised $374.9 million and spent $270.8 million by the end of 2023[4].

Electorate Size

• As of 2022, there were approximately 161.42 million registered voters in the United States[5].

Spending Per Potential Vote

• Based on the 2020 election spending ($14 billion) and the number of registered voters (161.42 million):

United Kingdom

Total Campaign Spending

• For the 2024 general election, a party standing in all 632 seats in Great Britain could spend up to £46 million during the regulated period[6].
• The spending limit for an average candidate in a borough seat during the short campaign is up to £17,000, and in a county seat, it is up to £20,500[7].

Electorate Size

• As of December 2021, there were 46.56 million people registered to vote in UK Parliamentary elections[8].

Spending Per Potential Vote

Based on the maximum allowable spending (£46 million) and the number of registered voters (46.56 million):

Comparison

Conclusion

The campaign spending per potential vote is significantly higher in the United States compared to the United Kingdom. In the US, the spending per potential vote is approximately $86.7, whereas in the UK, it is about £0.99. This stark difference highlights the more extensive financial resources allocated to campaigning in the US electoral system compared to the UK.

References

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States
[2] https://www.statista.com/topics/11901/2024-us-presidential-election/
[3] https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race
[4] https://www.fec.gov/updates/statistical-summary-of-12-month-campaign-activity-of-the-2023-2024-election-cycle/
[5] https://www.statista.com/statistics/273743/number-of-registered-voters-in-the-united-states/
[6] https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/election-spending-regulated-uk
[7] https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-uk-parliamentary-general-elections-great-britain/candidate-spending/how-much-can-you-spend
[8] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/elections/electoralregistration

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Kevin Harrington

I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.

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