Citizens Show Great Interest in Elections: Turnout in Center of Banja Luka Over 50%

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have shown decreasing interest in elections in the country since the first post-war elections in BiH in 1996, writes the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

However, judging by the initial results of the Central Election Commission of BiH, released at 11 AM, citizens have halted this trend today - voter turnout by 11 AM has increased by more than one percent, and this trend has continued.

The first General Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the aggression, held on September 14, 1996, saw an average voter turnout of 79.91% of the total 3,133,634 registered voters (79.40% in elections for members of the Presidency and 80.42% in elections for representatives in the BiH Parliament), which is 2.08% higher than the average voter turnout in the first General Elections in 1990.

The 1996 elections were won by national parties. Alija Izetbegović, Bosniak member of the Presidency, won 730,592 votes, Croatian member of the Presidency Krešimir Zubak received 330,447 votes, while Momčilo Krajišnik, Serb member of the BiH Presidency, won 690,646 votes.

However, in the last General Elections in BiH, held in 2010, voter turnout dropped to just over 50%, which is almost 30% less than 16 years earlier.

For example, Bakir Izetbegović secured the position of Bosniak member with just over 160,000 votes, Željko Komšić entered the Presidency as the Croatian member with 337,065 votes, while Nebojša Radmanović secured the position of Serb member in the BiH Presidency with 295,629 votes.

Nevertheless, judging by the initial results of the Central Election Commission of BiH, released at 11 AM, citizens have shown much more interest in the elections today.

Voter turnout compared to 2010 by 11 AM has increased by slightly more than one percent. A total of 458,958 people voted, or 14.22 percent of the total number of registered voters.

The highest turnout was recorded in Banovići - 32.74 percent, Trnovo - 28.84 percent, Sokolac - 27 percent, and Ugljevik - 24 percent.

According to unofficial data, by 3 PM, slightly over 50% of voters had cast their ballots in the center of Banja Luka, reports NAP.