Bosnia and Herzegovina conducts test elections for new voting technology

test elections election technology biometric identification Smartmatic Central Election Commission

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted test elections on September 11, 2026, to simulate the use of new voting technologies ahead of the general elections on October 4, 2026. The testing included biometric identification via fingerprint sensors and optical scanners for ballots.

The CEC reported that 6,854 voters participated, with a 97.37% success rate for biometric verification. The commission expressed satisfaction with the system's performance, particularly regarding secure data transmission and real-time monitoring. However, the process faced logistical challenges, as test elections could not be held in 14 out of 143 municipalities due to delays in the printing and distribution of ballot papers by the contracted provider, Smartmatic.

Political reactions were mixed. The SNSD election headquarters demanded immediate accountability for the organizational failures, questioning the readiness of the CEC for the upcoming general elections. CEC member Suad Arnautović attributed the delays to the new outsourcing model for ballot production and noted that the test would serve to identify and correct issues in communication and logistics before the actual election day.

Entities

Bosnia and Herzegovina · Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina · Council of Europe · Jajce · OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina · SNSD · Smartmatic · Suad Arnautović

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The new technologies include biometric identification and optical scanners for ballots. www.glasistre.hr · www.rtvslon.ba · www.zenit.ba
[● 6 SOURCES] The general elections are scheduled for October 4, 2026. banjaluka.net · jajce-online.com · tuzlainfo.ba · sarajevotimes.com · www.glasistre.hr
[● 4 SOURCES] Smartmatic and its subcontractors are responsible for printing and distributing ballots under contract. bosnainfo.ba · rtv-hb.com · impulsportal.net · www.glasistre.hr
[● 16 SOURCES] There were delays in the printing and distribution of ballot papers to some polling stations. bosnainfo.ba · rtv-hb.com · impulsportal.net · www.glasistre.hr · banjaluka.net · +9 more
[● 16 SOURCES] The CEC BiH organized test elections on September 11, 2026, to test new election technologies. jajce-online.com · tuzlainfo.ba · sarajevotimes.com · banjaluka.net · bijeljina.com · +9 more
[● 2 SOURCES] The SNSD election headquarters demanded accountability for organizational failures during the test voting. banjaluka.net · lat.sputnikportal.rs
[● 2 SOURCES] The delays in ballot delivery were caused by issues with the printing and distribution processes handled by the contracted company, Smartmatic and its subcontractors. bosnainfo.ba · www.glasistre.hr
[● 3 SOURCES] The CEC BiH expressed satisfaction with initial results from the test elections, particularly regarding voter identification and secure data transmission. www.klix.ba · radiobrcko.ba · radiosarajevo.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] Biometric voter verification via fingerprint was 97.37% successful. www.klix.ba · radiobrcko.ba · radiosarajevo.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] A total of 6,854 voters participated in the test elections. www.klix.ba · radiobrcko.ba · radiosarajevo.ba
[● 2 SOURCES] Test elections were not held in 14 out of 143 municipalities or cities due to the untimely delivery of ballot papers. www.klix.ba · radiosarajevo.ba