Amendments to the Election Law Tomorrow in the House of Peoples: Schmidt Awaits Outcome, Then Imposes Provisions for 'Election Integrity'!

By: A.Čorbo-Zećo

While all eyes are on the Office of the High Representative in BiH (OHR) and Christian Schmidt, and while his imposing technical amendments to the election law to ensure election integrity is expected daily, it is somewhat forgotten that amendments to the BiH Election Law were adopted by the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament on December 29 last year.

The House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament then adopted amendments and additions to the BiH Election Law by urgent procedure at the proposal of SDA. For the amendments to enter into force, the text must also be voted on by the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament, which is less likely given the opposition of SNSD and HDZ, and we will see this tomorrow, March 18, when a session of the House of Peoples is scheduled where this agenda item is included.

We remind you that 26 deputies voted for the amendments at the proposal of SDA, and nine were against. Deputies gathered around SNSD and HDZ were against.

Given the composition of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament, it is clear that this law will not receive the necessary majority. However, it should also be noted that SNSD and HDZ consider it harmful for Schmidt to impose new measures!?

The High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, gave parliamentarians a deadline of several weeks back in December last year (!?) to make this aspect of the BiH Election Law, promising that otherwise he would impose his amendments.

They are reportedly ready, but it is evident that Schmidt is being hindered by the will of HDZ and SNSD, who absolutely do not agree to this move by Schmidt. And, precisely tomorrow's rejection of this law could be the basis for Schmidt's action.

Otherwise, the SDA proposal primarily focuses on introducing election technologies into the electoral process, which include fingerprint readers, readers of data from personal identification documents, optical scanners, security cameras, etc.), methods and procedures used in the electoral process, and other technical equipment.
The proposed text of the amendments, among other things, proposes changes regarding the formation of polling station committees in a way that the president and their deputy are appointed, dismissed, records are kept, training, certification, and evaluation are conducted by the Central Election Commission of BiH.

In addition to new election technologies (voter identification via fingerprints, scanning of personal documents, and optical counting of ballots), which is the focus of public attention, it is important to note that it is envisaged that the presidents of polling station committees and their deputies will be selected by the Central Election Commission through a public call, that only one member from each political entity can be a member of the polling station committee, that only political parties-entities that had mandates in legislative bodies in the previous period can participate in the draw for polling station committee members, which largely prevents 'trading' of positions in the Polling Station Committee and the formation of parties for 'trading positions in polling station committees'.

It is also proposed to introduce the institute of "suspension of mandate", which means that one person will no longer be in a situation of holding a mandate in both a legislative body and an executive authority.

The number of preferences a voter can give to candidates within a single political entity is also reduced to three candidates, as well as other solutions that have received positive opinions from the Venice Commission, OSCE, etc.