Election tech fails as voters choose new government
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General elections are underway across Bosnia and Herzegovina today, October 4, with citizens casting their votes for new government officials. Polling stations opened nationwide, and the Central Election Commission expects to release initial results after 7 PM. This election marks the first widespread use of new electoral technologies, including biometric voter identification and ballot scanners.
However, the implementation of these new technologies has encountered some initial difficulties. Reports indicate that some polling stations, particularly in Mostar and Bijeljina, experienced delays in opening due to scanner malfunctions, with discussions about potentially reverting to older voting methods in affected areas. Jovan Kalaba, a member of the Central Election Commission, stated that initial technology problems have been resolved and the election process is proceeding according to plan.
Prominent political figures, including Chairman of the Presidency Denis Bećirović and President of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) Dragan Čović, have cast their ballots. Dragan Čović, who is also the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, notably expressed dissatisfaction with the new technologies, stating that the process took longer than expected.