Free and fair elections are the most powerful tool

Authors: EU Ambassador to BiH Johann Sattler, US Ambassador to BiH Eric Nelson, and Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH Kathleen Kavalec

You have heard us emphasize that 2021 should be a year of action and opportunity for implementing long-awaited reforms needed for progress on the European path, and for BiH to be more prosperous for all citizens. Now that we are in 2021, it is time to discuss the details, starting with electoral reform. Reforms are not abstract, but concrete, common-sense changes clearly outlined in the 14 key priorities from the European Commission's Opinion, which include the implementation of recommendations from the OSCE/ODIHR and the Council of Europe's GRECO.

These reforms address shortcomings highlighted in the recent Municipal Elections and are necessary to make your votes truly count. We stand ready to support and advise reform efforts, but change will depend on the willingness of this country's leaders to take responsibility, engage in serious dialogue with each other, and make compromises.

Real change also depends on the determination of you, the citizens, to advocate for it and hold elected officials accountable for their inaction. There is no time to waste in this year – obligations must be met, potential harnessed, and a brighter future secured. Reforms are urgently needed this year so that the 2022 elections do not suffer from the same, well-known shortcomings.

Elections are the lifeblood of democracy; they must be free, fair, and based on the principle of equality for every citizen. The Central Election Commission (CEC) did a commendable job organizing the local elections in 2020, a year of unprecedented challenges, not only due to the pandemic but also due to delays in securing financial resources for the elections, which could have been avoided. At the same time, the elections were marred by constant issues that re-emphasized the urgency of implementing long-standing ODIHR recommendations to increase transparency, improve training for election workers, and strengthen the power of your vote.

Among the most important priorities is reforming the way polling station committees are formed. It is precisely the polling station committees that are responsible for the largest part of your experience as a voter, including opening polling stations, verifying voter identity, keeping accurate records, ensuring the security of election materials, and most importantly, the initial counting of your ballots. Currently, members of polling station committees are appointed exclusively from the ranks of political party candidates. With such a structure, it is difficult to ensure the impartiality and professionalism of polling station committees. Furthermore, as was evident in the last local elections, inconsistent or insufficient training of polling station committee members poses a risk of procedural errors, while simultaneously undermining citizens' trust in the electoral process. Legal reforms can ensure a more balanced composition of polling station committees, as well as introduce mechanisms to prevent abuses in appointment procedures, contributing to integrity while preventing irregularities and fraud.

The introduction of new technologies can also contribute to the transparency and accuracy of ballot counting and the timeliness of preliminary counts, which ultimately reduces fraud and makes elections more efficient. For example, electronic voter identification would facilitate the detection of abuse of personal documents and signature forgery that were recorded in the last local elections. Finally, sanctioning hate speech and insults, even outside the framework of election campaigns, will help ensure responsible dialogue.

Free and fair elections are the most powerful tool citizens have at their disposal to ensure political leaders are accountable for their actions or inaction in securing the European future that BiH citizens want and deserve. With sufficient political will, there is no reason for any of these reforms to be further postponed. Changes that ensure every one of your votes counts, without manipulation or political influence, will return power to your hands, the hands of the citizen, to help make that future a reality.