Analysis: The Official Results of the Election Turnout

On Sunday, the 2^nd of October, in BiH were held local elections on which a total of 30,445 candidates fought for their mayoral or councilors place. The first general elections in post-war BiH were held in 1996 and local elections were held in the following years. Then was recorded the highest turnout, which sharply declined already at the next local elections.

In the elections that were held on Sunday participated a total of 53.88 % of registered voters. Just as in previous years, turnout in the RS was slightly higher (59.49 %) than in the FBiH (50.61 %).

The lowest turnout, according to cantons, was recorded in Canton Sarajevo. Thus, in Novo Sarajevo voted only 40.39 % of registered voters, 43.67 % in Novi Grad, 43.24 % in Centar, 51.34 % in Stari Grad, and 43.91 % in Ilidza…

The lowest turnout was recorded in Sanski Most (33.45 %) and Dobretici (25.93 %), while the highest turnout was recorded in East Mostar, Trnovo, East Stari Grad, Pale in FBiH, Trnovo and Banovici, where more than 80 % of registered voters participated in the elections.

The first local elections in BiH were held in 1997, two years after the war. In those elections participated 91 parties, nine coalitions and 159 independent candidates, which was a total of 19,584 candidates. Turnout of voters back then was 70.74 %. However, voters could not choose mayors until 2004.

At the next local elections that were held in 2000 turned out 63.7 % of voters, which is by 7.4 % less in comparison to the previous elections.

Four years later, turnout was again in an increase. Thus, in the local elections in 2008 voted 55.2 % of registered voters. In percentages, almost the same turnout was in the Brcko District and the RS, and again lower in the FBiH. From the data of the CEC it can be concluded that turnout of voters older than 30 years was higher (80.83 %) than turnout of younger voters (19.17 %).

Local elections 2012 had an increase in turnout by 1.3 % (56.5 %). The highest turnout of voters was in the RS (relative to population), and the lowest in the Brcko District. There has been an increase in turnout of voters that are younger than 30 years – 21.73 %, while turnout of elderly voters was 78.27 %.

(Source: M. N./Klix.ba)