Open inducement of voters to vote for a specific political subject or intimidations and pressure on voters were recorded at three polling stations in Doboj (038B027, 038B029 and 038B035A) and at one polling station in Srebrenica (105B015).
Voting without valid identification documents was registered at five polling stations, whereof three in Doboj and two in Srebrenica.
Sending the voters away from the polling station because they were not on the excerpt from the final Central Voters’ Register was recorded at more than 39% of the polling stations (up to 10 such cases).
The Coalition’s observers reported about family voting at more than a half of the polling stations (up to 10 cases of this type of irregularity) and more than 10 cases of family voting at three polling stations. The case of one person assisting multiple voters to vote in a voting booth was registered at 20 polling stations, whereof 18 in Doboj.
There were no registered cases of a long presence of the unauthorized persons or suspected “Carousel voting” (where voters come to a polling station with pre-filled ballots and leave with blank ballots).
The recommended measures for preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus were not followed at two polling stations in Doboj.
The Coalition “Pod lupom“ has been notified of seven situations that potentially represent serious electoral irregularities. Most of them relate to partisan helpers assisting the voters that according to the Election Law of BiH evidently did not need the voting assistance. This irregularity was recorded at the following polling stations in Doboj: 038B027, 038B029, 038B068 and 038B079. The Coalition also received a report on an alleged vote buying in the vicinity of the polling station 038B029, as well as other irregularities near the same polling station such as inducement of voters and distribution of flyers with instructions for whom to vote. The competent police department has been notified of the alleged vote buying.
Pod lupom monitors voter turnout. The registered voter turnout by 2 p.m. in the re-run election in Srebrenica is at 34.0 % and 40.0% in Doboj (with a margin of statistical error +/- 1.70 % on .95 % of confidence interval). The preliminary data from a sample of observed polling stations and the margin of the statistical error indicate that voter turnout in Srebrenica and Doboj is between 9 % and 16 % lower than in the regular local elections on November 15, 2020.
Citizens can report to the Coalition Pod lupom all observed irregularities using a toll-free number 080 05 05 05 or via an online form at https://bih2021.electionsobserver.org/neregularnosti/ .
The next press conference is to take place at 9:30 p.m., when the Coalition will provide information about the voter turnout, voting process, close of the polls and counting of mayoral votes.
