The Coalition “Pod lupom” recorded 1,059 electoral irregularities between July 22 and September 15, 2024. The largest number of irregularities relate to the misuse of public funds and resources (298 cases), premature electoral campaigning (255 cases), and irregularities in the formation of polling station committees (217 cases). Other irregularities include irregularities in the work of the media (93 cases), errors in the work of local election commissions (67 cases), voter pressure (33 cases), and 96 cases of other forms of electoral irregularities.
The Coalition has thus far identified 42 political entities that are in violation of electoral rules. The political parties responsible for the most irregularities are SNSD (165), SDS (143), SDA (115), HDZ BiH (106), and PDP (99). They account for as much as 70% of all recorded electoral irregularities.
At a press conference, the Coalition “Pod lupom” particularly addressed the electoral campaign. They stated that they had observed 68 pre-election rallies and noted that free food and drinks were distributed at 26.5% of these rallies; organized transport of citizens to the rallies was provided in 13.2% of cases; inflammatory rhetoric was present (ethnicity topics unrelated to local issues and/or discrediting and insulting opposing candidates) at 10.3% of cases, and at 4.4% of cases, there were prohibited activities (the placing or removal of party propaganda materials).
A similar situation is evident in campaigning on social media. “Pod lupom” has also, for the first time, monitored 80 profiles of political entities on social media. Based on 1,330 pieces of content analyzed from the first two weeks of the campaign, data shows that as much as 71.1% of content on the social media of political entities does not relate to presenting election platforms for the 2024 Local Elections during the campaign period. In 16.5% of cases, the platforms were vague and addressed general improvements, while political entities clearly presented their platforms in only 12.4% of cases. Additionally, “dirty campaigning” is not avoided on social media, with 8.6% of social media content characterized as intending to belittle or discredit political opponents in the elections.
The Coalition “Pod Lupom” emphasizes that the pressure on voters is particularly concerning, as 33 cases of voter pressure have been recorded. While most of these cases relate to potential vote buying, Pod lupom also noted two severe forms of pressure on voters in Gradiška and Živinice, where employees of public institutions are pressured to vote for a specific political option. A criminal complaint has been filed regarding the case in Gradiška.
“Political entities must adhere to electoral rules during their campaigns and refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and voter pressure,” says “Pod lupom.”
Based on all these findings, the Coalition “Pod lupom” has submitted 265 reports to the Central Election Commission BiH (CEC BiH). As a result of the Coalition’s reports, the CEC BiH has imposed 51 sanctions, totaling 86,300 KM in fines, and removed 32 individuals from membership in polling station committees.
The Coalition also announced the launch of the campaign “My Voting Experience,” inviting all citizens to share their positive or negative experiences from the elections.
Were you excited by a special moment during the campaign, or did you simply decide to go out and vote on Election Day? Send us a photo and show us those great moments! Have you encountered electoral irregularities or wondered, “What’s happening here?” Don’t worry; report what you’ve observed and send evidence—your experiences are important for better elections!—the Coalition “Pod lupom” emphasized.
The reporting form can be accessed via the link: https://mojeiskustvo.podlupom.org/
To help citizens understand their rights and responsibilities in elections, the Coalition “Pod lupom” has, for the first time, created a publicly available video training on Election day observation which is already available on their YouTube channel. All citizens are invited to become civic, non-partisan observers and watch the training video for observers, get ready and with a watchful eye go to the polls, and conduct independent election observation alongside the Coalition “Pod lupom”!
