Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement new voting technology for October elections

Bosnia and Herzegovina elections Central Election Commission biometric identification voting technology HDZ BiH

As Bosnia and Herzegovina prepares for the general elections on October 4, new voting technologies, including biometric identification and ballot scanners, will be implemented nationwide for the first time. The Central Election Commission (CEC) has contracted a consortium led by Smartmatic BH for a system valued at approximately 74.5 million KM.

There is ongoing discussion regarding when official results will be released. CEC member Vlado Rogić suggested that results from all polling stations might be known by 20:30, with specific data for political entities and candidates available by 21:00. However, CEC President Jovan Kalaba noted that while test elections yielded results within 15 minutes, official timelines may vary if polling stations do not close precisely at 19:00.

In response to these technological changes, the HDZ BiH leadership, chaired by Dragan Čović, has called on the CEC to intensify efforts to educate voters. The party emphasized the need for clear and timely information to ensure citizens are prepared for the new voting procedures and technologies.