The 2020 Local Elections postponed for November 15
The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina has at today’s 25th session passed the Decision on postponement of the 2020 Local Elections. The postponed elections will be held on Sunday, November 15, 2020.
We remind the public that the statutory deadline of 15 days in which the competent institutions had to secure the funds for conduct of elections in line with Article 1.2a of the BiH Election Law started running on May 7 when the BiH CEC announced the 2020 Local Elections.
Since the given deadline has expired, and the funds were not secured, the BiH Central Election Commission applied provisions of Article 14.2 of the BiH Election Law.
The BiH Central Election Commission adopted today the Instruction on deadlines and sequence of electoral activities.
Following consultations with the BiH Public Procurement Agency, the BiH CEC decided to announce public procurements based on estimated values of procurements set forth by and approved in the Framework Budget Document of the BiH Institutions for the period 2019-2021 relating to the 2020 Local Elections. It is important to note that there is possibility of making a decision on awarding framework contract and signing of the latter for a fixed period after the public procurement procedure is conducted, but the contract on realization of the procurement is signed once the funds are secured.
The 2020 Local Elections will be conducted for:
- 64 Municipal Councils in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
- 56 Municipal Assemblies in the Republika Srpska,
- 120 mayors of municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
- 14 City Councils in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
- 7 City Assemblies in Republika Srpska,
- 22 City mayors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
- Assembly of Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Guaranteed seats for members of national minorities are foreseen in 21 municipality for 23 councilors.
The City Mayor of Istočno Sarajevo City is for the first time elected directly by voters in line with the amendments to the RS Election Law.
The elections for the councilors in the City of Mostar Council shall be announced once necessary conditions for calling and administering the elections are met.
The Instruction on deadlines and sequence of electoral activities that the BiH CEC adopted today precisely determines deadlines of electoral activities and is available to the public on the website of the BiH CEC.
Here we point out some significant deadlines and activities:
The deadline in which political parties and independent candidates submit application for participation in the 2020 Local Elections to the BiH CEC starts running from May 27 to July 3 at 16:00 hours. Having in mind the epidemiological situation the application for certification with accompanying documents can be sent electronically, but original documents must be submitted by post to the BiH CEC before the expiry of deadline.
All forms for certification of political subjects, except the forms for collection of signatures of supports, are available of the web site of the BiH CEC. The form for collection of signatures of support can be collected in the premises of the BiH CEC from May 26, 2020 whereof records will be made.
Certified political parties and certified independent candidates submit applications for certification of a coalition i.e. list of independent candidates in the period from July 19 – 28, 2020.
Candidates’ lists are submitted in the period from August 5 – 17, 2020.
Election campaign starts on October 16 and lasts until beginning of election silence, i.e. by November 17 until 07:00 hours.
The deadline for registration of voters outside BiH for the 2020 Local Elections expires on September 1, 2020 at 24:00 hours. Registration forms PRP1 and PRP2 with an instruction on registration and delivery are available on the website of the BiH CEC.
The BiH Central Election Commission will use all available statutory possibilities to ensure unhindered conduct of all legally prescribe electoral operations and activities. We once more urge the competent institutions to secure the funds for the conduct of the 2020 Local Elections.