That's how much all the U.

S election campaigns for 2020 are reported to have cost.

As well as electing the president, voters chose hundreds of members of the U.

S.

Congress due to the coronavirus campaigning this year looked a little different, but political engagement was high, with more money donated than ever.

So what exactly is all that money spent on and who is paying for it?

2020 smashed records with an estimated $6.6 billion spent on presidential hopefuls alone.

That's more than the last two presidential elections combined with traditional campaigning limited by the pandemic, even more money was invested in media exposure.

TV ads are big ticket items.

The Trump campaign reportedly spent millions to run this 32nd commercial during the Super Bowl back in February.

Digital advertising is a growing priority to both sides.

Spent more than $200 million targeting voters on social media.

And then there's staff salaries.

Biden spent more than $50 million on hundreds of employees, far more than the $20 million spent by Trump.

And don't forget those trump hats.

According to 2020 filings, his campaign forked out more than $8 million on them and other merchandise.

There's also the battle for seats in the U.

S.

Congress.

Hundreds of hopeful candidates competed in races across the country, which cost a record $7 billion in 2020.

So where is all this money coming from?

Most of it is made up of campaign donations.

In 2020 around 20% of contributions came from everyday Americans, people giving $200 or less.

But a larger trunk came from more wealthy donors.

There's a limit of $2800 on donations given directly to the campaigns, but money can instead be donated in other ways.

Candidates and their parties often form joint fundraising committees for which limits are looser.

Thes committees have been reported to host lavish dinners for wealthy donors, raising up to $10 million in a single night.

On top of that since 2010.

It's also been possible for independent groups to raise unlimited sums from companies and individuals to finance political activities.

These groups, known as super PACs, aren't allowed to coordinate directly with the candidates.

Contributions from outside groups are growing more than doubling in 2020 from 2016.

They also provided a much bigger boost to Biden than to Trump.

There are a few other rules around campaign donations, for example, on the Americans and permanent residents are allowed to donate.

But unlike in many other countries, there's no overall limit on how much can be spent on political campaigns.

And U.

S elections are getting ever more expensive.

The overall 2020 price tag is more than four times the amount spent in 2000.

So the world's most powerful job doesn't come cheap, and this year was no exception, with both presidential candidates spending big in their bids to win the White House.