Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Despite facing significant challenges at polling stations due to Bosnia’s first use of biometric voter checks and ballot scanners, the country successfully wrapped up one of its most critical elections in years.
The ruling party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), emerged victorious, which could potentially set the stage for a new Christian nation in Europe. However, as the election concluded, the Central Election Commission was considering the possibility of annulling the results because of substantial technical issues. Throughout the election day, officials grappled with the new voting technology that encountered various major problems.
While the technology aimed to tackle election irregularities and curb organized voter fraud, issues cropped up almost immediately after the polls opened, as reported by the Associated Press. There was even a mention that the election might need to be redone in a week, as Dr. Irena Hadžiabdić from the Central Election Commission indicated in an exclusive interview before voting ended. She has been part of the Commission since 2007.
The Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) had reporters in Banja Luka and Sarajevo, covering the election as it unfolded, following days of intense political discussions leading up to the vote.
“We can correct the serious problems we faced at various polling stations, and if necessary, we can annul the elections and repeat them in a week,” Hadžiabdić explained to the DCNF. “But we need to make that decision a little later.”
Someone like Ana Trišić-Babić, who once served as the deputy minister of foreign affairs, shared her experience from Banja Luka, where she waited in line for two and a half hours at her assigned polling station. “The scanning machines were malfunctioning. They were trying to find technicians, but there were no technicians available,” she described.
At the time of this writing, it remained uncertain whether the voting machines would finally function as intended.
“Now we’re all just waiting,” Hadžiabdić added. “What will happen after 7 p.m. when we close most of the polling stations? Will these machines work properly and actually transmit the results we’re expecting?”
Reports indicated that waiting times to vote grew longer, with lines extending for several hours throughout the day. Hadžiabdić framed this issue positively, highlighting that this level of interest indicated a healthy democratic process.
“I know there are some long queues,” she noted, “but if people are interested, I encourage them to be patient. Sometimes long lines are a good sign for democracy, as they indicate a desire to participate.”
Some polling places struggled to open on time because of the new digital technology challenges. The Central Election Commission later determined that stations facing technical issues could remain open past the usual 7 p.m. closing time.
Trišić-Babić described her experience as quite frustrating: “It took me two and a half hours to vote. They were moving chairs around, which was not pleasant for anyone. The staff probably didn’t have enough time to properly train for this procedure. They eventually had to announce a temporary halt to voting.”
Delays were particularly notable in the Serb-majority area of Republika Srpska, where out of 1,957 polling stations, 201 faced delays, according to the Republika Srpska’s Interior Ministry.
Voter turnout was significantly lower than in the previous national election, with only about 27% of eligible voters participating by 3 p.m., a drop from 35% at the same time during the 2022 election.
Milorad Dodik, the leader of SNSD and former president of Republika Srpska, remained a central figure throughout the campaign despite being barred from office following a confrontation with the former international high representative for Bosnia and a court conviction. He has consistently advocated for the peaceful separation of Republika Srpska from Bosnia and has appealed to well-known political leaders like Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin for support.
Dodik expressed his hopes for the future, saying, “We’re proud to say we support Donald Trump as the U.S. president. We wish him success in his future endeavors and encourage people in the U.S. to vote for him again.”
Additionally, he articulated his ongoing backing for Trump during an exclusive pre-election interview with the DCNF, as he looks ahead to a potential referendum post-election.
Authorities aimed to introduce electronic voter identification and ballot scanners to prevent past election irregularities, as mentioned by Hadžiabdić.
However, just two days before the election, the Central Election Commission announced that all the technical requirements for the new system had been met and confirmed the use of biometric voter identification and electronic results transmission for the first time nationwide.
The country invested heavily in improving its electoral infrastructure, signing a significant contract for biometric technology and related services at a cost of around 74.5 million convertible marks (about $43 million).
Before the election, the technology had been tested successfully, achieving a high rate of fingerprint verification. Still, logistical challenges had prevented pre-election mock voting in some areas.
The election was a critical event amid ongoing debates regarding Bosnia’s political landscape, and issues with the new voting technology contributed to skepticism about the electoral process.
Over 3.4 million registered voters were eligible to select members for Bosnia’s shared presidency and lawmakers, among other officials. This complex system has its roots in the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the country’s civil war in the 1990s.
Ultimately, the new technology was supposed to enhance trust in the electoral system but instead was marked by delays and lower voter turnout, which stirred further doubts among the electorate.
Hadžiabdić expressed some concerns, saying, “These machines may have just arrived in the country recently, and there hasn’t been enough time to provide thorough training for the staff involved. My biggest worry is whether the software belongs to our local government or the company that supplied the machines.”
Editor’s note: This report was updated with the latest election results.
