Every citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina has the right to decide the candidate to vote for. Voter coercion and intimidation are reflected in various corrupt methods that threaten personal security.
Examples of illegal pressures on voters are as follows: offering or promising to voters new employment, threatening voters that they will be fired in exchange for a vote, forcing voters to go to a party meeting and giving donations, gifts, threats, calls for violence and threatening the security, etc.
Although illegal, voter coercion and vote buying have become a usual practice at the elections in BiH. Observers of the Coalition reported 27 such cases in 18 municipalities/cities. These cases relate to allegations on money being offered in exchange for a vote, coercion of employees in the public enterprises, and so on. The rumors on vote buying were recorded in several municipalities/cities, and the prices range from 50 to 200 KM. Concerns are raised by the reports of the long-term observers that such discussions and negotiations are accepted and that citizens do not shy away from vote selling, as well as that there is no understanding of these actions actually being criminal offences. At the same time citizens who report such cases refuse to publicly talk about this in fear of retaliation in the local communities and are not willing to report it to the competent bodies
In its Final Report of the Election Observation Mission, ODIHR states as early as 2018 that political entities should respect the law and refrain from exerting pressure on voters. Cases of alleged pressure on voters should be investigated quickly, thoroughly and efficiently, and prosecutors and the BiH CEC should promptly hold the perpetrators accountable.
