The two-day Conference of Election Management Bodies “Local Elections 2024 – Lessons for the Future” was concluded.
Sarajevo, 25.04.2025- The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, successfully organized a two-day post-election Conference of Election Implementation Bodies, titled “Local Elections 2024 – Lessons for the Future”, held on 24 and 25 April 2025 in Sarajevo.
The conference gathered more than 200 participants, including representatives of municipal and city election commissions, election experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, as well as representatives of the Council of Europe, the OSCE Mission to BiH, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Delegation of the European Union, the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR), representatives of the non-governmental sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the media.
During the conference, participants discussed the organization and implementation of the 2024 Local Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Central Election Commission of BiH presented the Report on the Pilot Projects and the Feasibility Study, alongside the findings from the reports of international observation missions, including the OSCE/ODIHR and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
On the second day, the conference continued with four thematic workshops, each focusing on key areas for improvement: the voting and counting process, the appointment of polling station committees, the introduction of new technologies, and addressing other critical challenges identified during the electoral process.
As a final outcome of the Conference of Election Management Bodies “Local Elections 2024 – Lessons for the Future”, a set of Conclusions was adopted. These Conclusions will form part of the Central Election Commission of BiH’s initiative for amendments to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will be submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During the conference, the Central Election Commission of BiH also presented awards to members and employees of the election administration, as well as to distinguished individuals from international and domestic organizations and state institutions, in recognition of their contributions and engagement in the successful conduct of the 2024 Local Elections.