Bosnia’s Election Commission: Conditions not met for 2026 tech rollout

Speaking at a conference in Sarajevo, Irena Hadziabdic, President of the Central Election Commission (CEC), said no firm conclusions have been reached on a feasibility study, and the agency is still awaiting funds that were expected by the end of April.

"Urgent amendments to the Election Law are required if we’re to build a reliable and secure system,” she said, adding that procurement of equipment and training are vital steps.

New technologies were piloted during the 2024 local elections in seven municipalities and the Brcko District. The trials included automated vote counting and scanners, which Hadziabdic said delivered partial results within minutes of polls closing, improving efficiency and reducing the number of ballot recounts.

“This test was a major breakthrough,” she said, noting that the process took nearly eight years to reach implementation due to political resistance and low voter confidence.

The pilot also replaced politically affiliated polling station presidents with neutral appointees, which Hadziabdic claimed significantly improved vote integrity.

Tihana B. Blanc of the Electoral Integrity Support Project praised the pilot, saying it helped restore voter trust and improve transparency. However, she warned that scaling up the system to all 143 municipalities would require major logistical and legislative support.

While the project has so far been backed by US funding, Blanc noted that long-term support from Washington is uncertain under the current administration, though other international partners may be willing to step in.

The conference, hosted by Democracy International and the Pod lupom coalition, was aimed at discussing the pilot’s results and mapping out steps toward broader implementation in the 2026 elections.