Biometric checks and ballot scanners rolled out nationwide in Bosnia and Herzegovina triggered long lines and technical failures on Election Day—serious enough that a Central Election Commission (CEC) member said a full annulment and seven-day repeat was on the table, according to an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF).
“We can annul and repeat in seven days”
“There are ways to correct serious problems we had at several polling stations, and in that case we always can annul elections and repeat them in seven days,” CEC member Dr. Irena Hadžiabdić told the DCNF before polls closed. “But we have to take this decision a little bit later.” She added that officials were waiting to see after the 7 p.m. close whether the machines would transmit results properly.
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Frozen scanners, hours-long lines
Ana Trišić-Babić, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s former deputy foreign minister, told the DCNF she waited “two hours and [a] half” to vote in Banja Luka as “scan machines… were blocking,” and said there were no technicians on hand. Multiple polling places could not open on time due to problems with the new technology, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The CEC said polling stations affected by delays would remain open beyond the normal 7 p.m. close, according to AP.
Delays were especially pronounced in Republika Srpska, where 201 of 1,957 polling stations experienced problems, AP reported, citing the entity’s Interior Ministry. Turnout lagged previous levels: about 27% of eligible voters had cast ballots by 3 p.m., compared with 35% at the same point in 2022, AP reported, citing the CEC.
What changed: first nationwide rollout of new tech
The CEC introduced electronic voter identification, ballot scanners, and rapid electronic transmission of results to curb irregularities, Hadžiabdić told the DCNF. Just two days before the vote, the Commission said technical requirements for the new system had been met and described the election as the first nationwide use of biometric voter ID and scanners.
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In May, the CEC signed a contract with a vendor group led by Smartmatic BH worth roughly 74.5 million convertible marks (about $43 million) covering biometric identification equipment, ballot scanners, software, technical support, ballot printing, and distribution, according to the Commission. A September test produced a 97.37% success rate for fingerprint verification, and the CEC said the system functioned at a satisfactory level, though logistical issues stopped mock elections in 14 of 143 municipalities and cities.
Stakes and early framing of results
The DCNF later updated its report to say the ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) won. The outlet has framed the outcome as potentially paving the way for efforts toward an independent Republika Srpska; SNSD leader Milorad Dodik has publicly pressed for peaceful separation and, in a DCNF interview, urged support from former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dodik also claimed, without evidence in the interview, that the “Biden team” committed “election theft” in the United States; those statements reflect his views.
More than 3.4 million registered voters were eligible to choose members of the tripartite presidency, national lawmakers, and entity officials, according to the CEC. Bosnia’s complex postwar structure stems from the U.S.-brokered Dayton Peace Agreement.
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What officials didn’t yet know on Election Day
As of the DCNF’s interview before polls closed, Hadžiabdić said it was unknown whether the machines would properly transmit results that night. AP reported that stations affected by technical delays were kept open past 7 p.m. The CEC’s ultimate decision on any annulment was not stated in the sourced material.
