Bosnia and Herzegovina Local Elections: A Snapshot

Today, citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina with voting rights are heading to the polls to elect municipal heads, members of municipal councils, and mayors. The Central Electoral Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC BiH) has rescheduled elections in several constituencies due to bad weather conditions.

A total of 3,400,204 citizens are registered to vote, with over 5,797 polling stations set up for voting across the country. Additionally, diplomatic missions in eight countries are hosting voting stations for Bosnian citizens residing abroad.

The elections mark the eighth round since Bosnia and Herzegovina’s independence, with 58 municipal councils and 53 municipal assemblies up for election. In total, 111 heads of municipalities and 32 mayors will be directly elected.

The Central Election Commission has certified over 26,000 individual candidacies, with new rules allowing voters to select a maximum of three candidates on their ballot for validity.

Amendments to the Election Law prohibit persons convicted of war crimes from running for office, and penalties for premature election campaigns have been strengthened. Over 2,000 observers have been accredited to monitor the elections, ensuring transparency and accountability.