Local elections in Vojvodina will be held in or before 30 June 2024, as part of the 2024 Serbian local elections.

Background

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Summary of previous (2020) election results in Vojvodina

Events that occurred since then (both national and in Vojvodina)

Electoral system

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Local elections in Serbia are held under a proportional representation system. Eligible voters vote for electoral lists, on which the registered candidates are present. An electoral list could be submitted by a registered political party, a coalition of political parties, or a citizens' group. The number of valid signatures needed to be collected to take part in the election varies by the number of eligible voters in that municipality. At least 40 percent of candidates on electoral lists must be female. The electoral list is submitted by its chosen ballot representative, who does not have to be present on its electoral list. An electoral list could be declined, after which those who had submitted can fix the deficiencies in a span of 48 hours, or rejected, if the person is not authorised to nominate candidates. The name and date of the election, the names of the electoral lists and its ballot representatives, and information on how to vote are only present on the voting ballot.[1]

Local electoral commissions and polling boards oversee the election. Seats are allocated with an electoral threshold of 3 percent of all votes cast, however if no electoral list wins 3 percent of all votes cast, then all electoral lists that received votes can participate in the distribution of seats. The seats are distributed by electoral lists in proportion to the number of votes received, while the number of seats belonging to electoral lists is determined by applying the highest quotient system. The seats are distributed by dividing the total number of votes received by the electoral list participating in the distribution of seats by each number from one to the number of councilors the local assembly has. The obtained quotients are classified by size so that the electoral list has as many mandates as it has its quotients among the highest quotients of all the electoral lists participating in the distribution. If two or more electoral lists receive the same quotients on the basis of which the seat is distributed, the electoral list that received the greater number of votes has priority. The seats in the local assemblies are awarded to the candidates to their order on the electoral list, starting with the first candidate from an electoral list. When the councilors of a local assembly are sworn in, they in turn elect the mayor.[1]

An electoral list could be declared the status of an ethnic minority electoral list by the local electoral commission. An ethnic minority electoral list could be only submitted by a registered political party or a coalition of political parties of an ethnic minority. If the percentage of the members of that ethnic minority is less than 50% in that municipality, an electoral list could be then granted the status of an ethnic minority electoral list. If the electoral list receives less than the 3 percent electoral threshold of all votes cast, it would still take part in the distribution of seats. When the distribution of seats takes place, the quotients of ethnic minority electoral lists that won less than 3 percent of the votes are increased by 35 percent.[1]

Any local election, whether it is a municipal or a local assembly election, is called by the president of the National Assembly, who also has to announce its date. To vote, a person has to be a citizen and resident of Serbia and at least 18 years old. A voter could only vote in the municipality of their residence. An election silence begins two days before the scheduled election, meaning that no opinion polls, presentation of candidates and their programmes, or invitation to vote in the election could take place.[1]

Election date

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In April 2023, newspaper Danas reported that snap parliamentary elections, local elections, Vojvodina provincial election, and the Belgrade City Assembly election could be held as early as in November 2023.[2] At a press conference in July 2023, Aleksandar Vučić, the president of Serbia and former president of SNS, said that an early parliamentary election "could take place in September or December if the opposition parties agree. And if not, we will have general elections in April or May 2024, to be held concurrently with the Vojvodina provincial election and the regular local elections".[3] By law, the Vojvodina provincial election and regular local elections could be held as late as 30 June 2024.[4] Darko Glišić, the president of the SNS executive board, stated that the local and provincial elections will be held in the first half of 2024.[5]

Abbreviations

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Name Abbreviation
Democratic Party DS
Green–Left Front ZLF
Serbia Centre SRCE
Together Zajedno

Results and campaign

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West Bačka District

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Sombor

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Apatin

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Kula

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Odžaci

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South Banat District

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Pančevo

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Alibunar

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Bela Crkva

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Vršac

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Kovačica

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Kovin

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Opovo

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Plandište

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South Bačka District

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Novi Sad

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Zajedno, DS, and SRCE signed a memorandum on political cooperation in June 2023.[6] They have also announced that they would be working together in order to change the local government in Novi Sad.[6]

Rade Basta's PEP presented Miša Bačulov, a coach and humanitarian, as their mayoral candidate for Novi Sad.[7]

Bač

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Bačka Palanka

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Bački Petrovac

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Beočin

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Bečej

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Vrbas

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Žabalj

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Srbobran

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Sremski Karlovci

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Temerin

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Titel

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North Banat District

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Kikinda

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Kanjiža

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Novi Kneževac

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Senta

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Čoka

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North Bačka District

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Subotica

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Bačka Topola

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Mali Iđoš

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In September 2023, PEP presented Marko Rovčanin, a former PS member, as their candidate in the local election in Mali Iđoš.[8]

Central Banat District

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Zrenjanin

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Žitište

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Nova Crnja

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Novi Bečej

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Sečanj

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Srem District

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Sremska Mitrovica

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Inđija

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Irig

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Pećinci

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Ruma

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Stara Pazova

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Šid

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Zakon o lokalnim izborima" [Law on Local Elections]. Pravno-informacioni sistem (in Serbian). 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Vučić raspisuje izbore za novembar?" [Vučić to call elections for November?]. Danas (in Serbian). 2023-04-10. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  3. ^ "Vučić najavio kad bi mogli biti novi izbori" [Vučić announces when new elections could be held]. Danas (in Serbian). 13 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  4. ^ Kojić, Nikola (2023-07-14). "Zašto izbori ne mogu biti u terminima koje je najavio Vučić" [Why can't the elections be held in the terms announced by Vučić]. N1 (in Serbian). Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  5. ^ "Glišić: Lokalni i pokrajinski izbori u prvoj polovini 2024, o vanrednim odluka narednih dana" [Glišić: Local and provincial elections in the first half of 2024, snap election decisions in the coming days]. 021.rs (in Serbian). 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  6. ^ a b "Ukrupnjavanje opozicije u Novom Sadu: DS, Zajedno i Pokret - Srce potpisali memorandum" [Consolidation of the opposition in Novi Sad: DS, Together and SRCE Movement sign a memorandum]. Danas (in Serbian). 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  7. ^ "Pokret Evropski put - Basta kandiduje sportistu Mišu Bačulova za gradonačelnika Novog Sada" [European Way Movement - Basta presents athlete Miša Bačulov for mayor of Novi Sad]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 19 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  8. ^ "Bivši socijalista Rovčanin kandidat Pokreta 'Evropski put' - Basta za predsednika opštine Mali Iđoš" [Former Socialist Rovčanin is the candidate of the European Way Movement - Basta for president of the municipality of Mali Iđoš]. Novinska agencija Beta (in Serbian). 4 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-04.