BS
At a press conference, the “Pod lupom” Coalition presented the main findings of its election-day observation up to 3:00 p.m., based on reports submitted by its observers deployed across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With regard to the use of new election technologies, by 3:00 p.m., voter identification and authentication devices, as well as ballot scanners, were being used at almost all polling stations monitored by the Coalition. Abandoning the use of the equipment was recorded at only a few polling stations.
This is an important and encouraging finding for the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The introduction of new technologies represents one of the most significant changes in the way elections are conducted, making their actual implementation in the field particularly important.
However, this does not mean that the implementation of new technologies has been without problems. Technical problems and interruptions in the operation of voter identification devices were recorded at 11.8% of polling stations, while technical problems and interruptions in the operation of ballot scanners were recorded at 17.9% of polling stations.
From the perspective of the “Pod lupom” Coalition, what is particularly important is that, according to the findings available so far, technical problems have not resulted in widespread abandonment of the use of the equipment. This is significant for the first election cycle in which new technologies are being implemented at all polling stations across the country.
Of course, election day is not only about new technologies. Regardless of how much the electoral process is technologically improved, some irregularities that we have been monitoring for years remain present. For this reason, in addition to monitoring the functioning of the new equipment, our observers are also monitoring practices that recur from one election cycle to another.
The election irregularities that traditionally recur include family voting, recorded at 40.5% of polling stations across the country (up to 25 cases), the same person providing assistance to multiple voters while voting (16.8%), and the absence of confirmation that assistance in voting is required (23.9%).
This is also where we can see one of the concrete links between new technologies and the protection of voting rights, including in relation to traditional election irregularities. Namely, at 9.7% of polling stations, the voter identification device prevented the provision of improper assistance to voters. We are already seeing situations in which new technologies are preventing irregularities that have been present for years. Unfortunately, at some polling stations, the prescribed procedure for providing assistance in voting is not being followed, and persons providing assistance are not providing their fingerprints.
In addition, almost no cases were recorded in which voters were allowed to cast their ballots without the required identification documents.
By 3:00 p.m., a total of 98 serious violations of election rules had been recorded. By frequency, these included: preventing or obstructing the observation of the electoral process (18), problems with new technologies (15), problems with election materials (11), violations of the electoral silence period (10), irregularities in the voting process (10), breaches of the secrecy of the vote (6), failure to display the list of polling station committee members (5), and other types of election irregularities (23).
Turnout by 3:00 p.m.
The “Pod lupom” Coalition is also monitoring voter turnout. Voter turnout in the 2026 General Elections stood at 29.7% by 3:00 p.m., with a statistical margin of error of +/- 0.35%. Turnout in the previous 2022 General Elections was 35% by 3:00 p.m.
The “Pod lupom” Coalition calls on citizens to report any election irregularities they witness by calling the toll-free number 080 05 05 05 or by using the online reporting form at https://neregularnosti.podlupom.org/. Election irregularities can also be reported anonymously.
The next press conference, covering the voting process, voter turnout, election irregularities, the closing of polling stations and an overview of election day, will be held at 9:45 p.m. at Hotel Holiday in Sarajevo.
