1.2 million voters have the right to vote for the President of Republika Srpska, early campaigning or obstruction of elections will be sanctioned

(Patria) - The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina has published details regarding the holding of early elections for the President of the entity Republika Srpska. The CEC made a decision that the elections will be held on Sunday, November 23 this year.

The planned funds for the upcoming early elections amount to 6,460,000.00 KM.

As explained by the President of the CEC, Irena Hadžiabdić, the funds are planned based on estimates in relation to previous elections.

"The competent institutions (the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the institutions responsible for budget execution at the relevant level of government) must secure funds for the implementation of the elections no later than 15 days from the day the elections are called, i.e., no later than September 12. According to the provisions of the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the event that the budget for the fiscal year in which the elections are held has not been adopted, funds during the period of temporary
financing are secured from transferred funds of accumulated surplus revenue remaining after covering expenditures from previous fiscal years, from current reserve funds, or from any other source or category of revenue.

We can initiate all planned public procurement procedures only after financial resources are secured. Among other things, we must conduct public procurement procedures for the transport of election materials, postal delivery of election materials, printing and packaging of ballots and election materials, etc.," stated Hadžiabdić.

The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina will adopt and publish the Instruction on deadlines and sequence of election activities for the early elections after funds for conducting the early elections are secured, and from that moment the deadlines for all election activities will begin to run.

Today, the Instruction on procedures for conducting early elections for the President of Republika Srpska was adopted, which details the method of submitting applications and
certification of political entities, candidates, appointment of presidents and members of polling boards, registration of voters in the Central Voters' Register, and the conduct of elections.

Political entities (political parties, independent candidates, and coalitions) that were certified for the President and Vice Presidents of Republika Srpska for the 2022 General Elections are not required to collect voter support signatures or pay a fee. Their only obligation is to submit an application form, along with a new special account for campaign financing, as well as a report on the turnover of that special account.

Political entities that did not participate in the 2022 General Elections must submit all necessary documentation with their application, including three thousand (3,000) signatures of support from voters registered in the Central Voters' Register and proof of payment of a fee, which amounts to 18,000 KM for political parties and 9,000 KM for independent candidates.

The election campaign for the early elections will last 15 days. For all other actions, procedures, and cases not regulated by this Instruction on the implementation of early elections, the provisions of the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina and earlier by-laws of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina that are in force shall apply.

"Today, we also adopted a decision to close the Central Voters' Register for the early elections for the President of Republika Srpska, with data as of August 27, 2025, at 24:00 hours. A total of 1,266,422 voters are registered in the Central Voters' Register for the early elections for the President of Republika Srpska. Voters will be able to exercise their voting rights at regular polling stations, as well as at polling stations for absentee voting.

Voters outside Bosnia and Herzegovina who were registered in the Central Voters' Register for voting abroad in the 2024 Local Elections are not required to submit a new application; instead, they will receive a ballot at their addresses abroad (approximately 19,000 voters), while voters who were not registered in the Central Voters' Register for voting abroad in the previous elections are required to apply using the PRP form," stated Hadžiabdić.

The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina appoints presidents and deputy presidents of polling boards, and in this regard, all those who were engaged for the 2024 Local Elections will be reappointed, except for those for whom irregularities were established at the polling station where they worked.

As for other members of polling boards, the right to propose them will belong to political entities that have a mandate in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska and a certified candidate for the President of Republika Srpska, and the appointment will be made by municipal/city election commissions.

"I want to call on political entities that will participate in these elections to refrain from early campaigning. I call on political entities and voters to follow all information from the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I warn that in the implementation of elections, all participants are obliged to respect the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina has mechanisms to sanction any activity that obstructs or disrupts the electoral process.

We also call on the election administration (primarily municipal and city election commissions)
to perform all tasks and instructions of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina professionally, independently, and impartially, in accordance with legal provisions," Hadžiabdić concluded.