Following the announcement by the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC BiH) that new technologies will be introduced for the upcoming General Elections, numerous questions have emerged regarding their implementation and functionality. With elections only months away, the primary objective remains restoring electoral integrity and rebuilding citizens’ trust in the democratic process.
The CEC BiH is currently developing an operational plan in cooperation with equipment suppliers. The election process will require approximately 6,000 biometric voter identification devices, 6,000 ballot scanners integrated into ballot boxes, and comprehensive training for election administration staff. While training sessions for members of polling station committees are planned, the Commission has yet to announce a timetable. A trial run of the new system is expected before election day.
Former CEC member Vehid Šehić emphasized that extensive voter education may not be necessary due to the simplicity of the new procedures.
“There won’t be any special voter training because it’s very simple, but there will be experts at polling stations or groups of polling stations who will be able to intervene if technical problems arise,” Šehić said. “These technologies are important because they will prevent many election irregularities.”
The introduction of ballot scanners is intended to reduce opportunities for electoral fraud, including the misuse of unused ballots, falsification of voter signatures, and intentional invalidation of ballots. Public support for the reforms appears strong, with surveys indicating that 83 percent of citizens support the introduction of new technologies as a tool for combating election theft.
Representatives of the Pod lupom (“Under Scrutiny”) Coalition believe that the 120 days remaining before the elections provide sufficient time to train election officials and inform voters about the changes.
“The voter will still come to the polling station, be identified, this time with the help of a machine, and vote on a paper ballot using a pencil,” explained Dario Jovanović, Project Manager of the Coalition. “The only difference is that the ballot will pass through a scanner before being inserted into the ballot box.”
However, technological innovations are not the only changes awaiting voters.
Jovanović noted that a redesigned ballot will also be introduced. Under the new system, candidates’ names will no longer appear directly on ballots. Instead, voters wishing to cast preferential votes for candidates within a party list will do so using the candidates’ assigned serial numbers.
“This is a significant change,” Jovanović said. “Voters will need to be familiar with the candidates and their numbers before entering the polling station.”
For this reason, civil society organizations argue that the CEC BiH should begin an intensive public information campaign in cooperation with the media to familiarize citizens with the new voting procedures.
The reforms aim to reduce opportunities for vote theft and strengthen confidence in election results. However, observers note that the implementation process has faced obstacles, including political disputes over budget allocations and staffing necessary for the election process.
Srđan Traljić, Public Relations Manager at Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina, warned about the spread of misinformation regarding the new technologies.
“In recent days, we have witnessed a campaign of false information suggesting that voters could be identified through these technologies, which is absolutely not true,” Traljić said. “It is important to explain the system to citizens and encourage them to participate in the elections, knowing that the process will be fairer.”
While experts caution against expecting dramatic changes overnight, many see the introduction of election technology as an important step toward greater transparency and accountability. Although the reforms may not necessarily increase voter turnout, supporters hope they will help restore public trust in the electoral process and strengthen democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
