BS
The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections “Pod lupom” assesses that Election Day proceeded successfully, with a significant improvement in the integrity of the electoral process through the implementation of new election technologies, namely biometric voter identification and authentication and optical ballot scanning.
The Coalition “Pod lupom” particularly welcomes the fact that technical problems with electronic voter identification and authentication devices, reported at 14% of polling stations, as well as technical problems and interruptions in the operation of optical ballot scanning technology at 21.3% of polling stations, did not prevent the use of these technologies at polling stations.
For future elections, preparations should begin earlier, procedures for responding to technical difficulties should be improved, timely and comprehensive training of election administration should be ensured, and technical support at polling stations should be further strengthened.
The Coalition “Pod lupom” considers it particularly important that the introduction of new technologies contributed to strengthening confidence in the electoral process and did not lead to the contestation of election results because of the technology itself. Acceptance of the election results is an important indicator of democratic maturity and can be seen as further confirmation that the implementation of new technologies passed the crucial test of public confidence in the electoral process.
However, the Coalition “Pod lupom” warns that the successful implementation of new technologies does not mean that the work of strengthening electoral integrity is complete. It represents an important step, but only one part of a broader process. Elections are not limited to Election Day and are part of a broader and critical societal problem – systemic corruption and state capture. Findings from election observation during the pre-election period show that numerous electoral irregularities continue to pose a serious risk to electoral integrity, including voter pressure, vote-buying, misuse of public resources, irregularities in the formation of polling station committees, and others. Therefore, technological progress on Election Day must be accompanied by stronger mechanisms for preventing, monitoring and sanctioning irregularities throughout the entire electoral cycle.
The Coalition “Pod lupom” therefore considers the next phase of electoral reform to be the strengthening of electoral integrity before Election Day. This requires improving the legislative framework, clearly defining the responsibilities of all actors in the electoral process, ensuring more effective detection and prosecution of electoral irregularities, and increasing the certainty and speed of sanctions, as well as the severity of penalties imposed on those who violate electoral rules.
Election Day 2026 should therefore be viewed as an important turning point, but not as the end of electoral reform.
