Turnout by 13:00 – 22,5 percent

A total of 22,5 percent of citizens voted in elections for the Belgrade City Assembly by 13:00 (margin of error 0,3 percent). In comparison, voter turnout by 13:00 in Belgrade elections in December was 26,1 percent.

As election day progresses, the number of polling stations where the unauthorized presence of third persons was observed, without the reaction of polling boards, grows – there are currently two percent of such polls. Also, the percentage of polling stations where polling board members keep parallel records of voters who voted, outside the official records, increased from two to four percent. In addition, parallel records of voters were observed in the vicinity of several polling stations as well.

At eight percent of polling stations, UV lamps and invisible spray were used inconsistently. Breaching of the secrecy of voting by photographing ballots behind the voting booths was recorded at 11 percent of polling stations. Cases where voters were restricted to vote, as they were not found in the Voter Registry, were recorded at seven percent of polling stations. Breaches of secrecy of voting were recorded at two percent of polling stations.

These irregularities, mainly representing individual cases and not a trend, were most frequently recorded in Cukarica, Palilula, Vozdovac, Zvezdara and Novi Beograd.

CRTA observers record a large number of buses and people gatherings at several locations throughout the city, mostly at sports centers.

CRTA Election Observation Mission submitted three more complaints to the police on suspicion of vote buying. One case was recorded at polling station 94 in Cukarica, where groups of voters coming to vote and then going to collect money at the premises of the “Lions” Football Club stadium were observed. At the polling station 5 in Novi Beograd, observers recorded people who went to a nearby betting shop to collect money after voting. The complaint on suspicion of vote-buying was submitted regarding the polling station 129 in Novi Beograd. CRTA submitted a total of six complaints during the course of the election day so far.

The next regular media conference of the CRTA Election Observation Mission is scheduled for 18:00. You may follow the conference live at the CRTA’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.