19:10 – As polls close in Mitrovica, PDK supporters begin celebrations
As polls closed in Mitrovica around 7 PM, supporters from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) began celebrating as exit polls show the party’s candidate as the main contender.
19:05 – Polls close in Kosovo and North Macedonia
Polls have officially closed in Kosovo and North Macedonia, while voters that were in line will still have the opportunity to cast their ballot.
18:53 – North Macedonia’s voter turnout hits 50%
The State Election Commission in North Macedonia reports that over 50% of eligible voters have cast their vote as of 6:30 PM.
17:00 – 40.91% of voters have turned out to vote in North Macedonia
As of 5 PM, around 40.91% of citizens have voted in North Macedonia, respectively 156,365 eligible voters, according State Election Commission in North Macedonia.
15:53 – Serb majority municipalities record highest voter turnout across the country
Municipalities with a Serb majority have recorded the highest voter turnout in Kosovo, in the local polls being held this Sunday.
As of 3 PM, 56.91% of eligible voters in Zvecan, the municipality with the highest voter turnout, have already voted.
15:05 – Kosovo’s voter turnout is currently at 26.9%
According to data provided by the Central Election Commission, 506,682 citizens, the equivalent of 26.9% of the population, have voted so far in Kosovo.
A political subject has informed the police and filed charges against a group of 83 individuals, thought to be carrying weapons in order to disrupt the electoral process.
13:24- Deputy chair of PDK: Local elections are for citizens, not politicians
Deputy chair of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, said that these municipal elections are for citizens, not politicians. According to her, today is the detrimental day for the communes of Kosovo, which is why she extended an invitation to all citizens to come out and exercise their right to vote.
12:30- Jurist Demiraj: CEC in North Macedonia hasn’t taken necessary provisions
Expert and jurist in North Macedonia, Ardian Demiri told Euronews Albania that the issues that are coming up in regards to the biometric identification during the Macedonian elections show that CEC hasn’t taken the necessary measures beforehand, like training the staff that works with these devices.
11:54- COVID patients voting from home
87 teams and a total of 348 members came together in Kosovo in order to make sure that citizens, who have contracted the coronavirus, still have a chance to vote. The same thing is being applied in North Macedonia, where a special electoral commission was tasked with taking the electoral process to the residences of those suffering from COVID.
11:30- Arben Vitia: Today is an important day for democracy
The candidate for Prishtina’s mayor from the Self-Determination Movement (LVV), Arben Vitia, declared after casting his vote that today marks an important day, not only for democracy but also for the lives of all citizens.
11:27-Osmani: Voters have the quality of their lives in their hands
After casting her ballot, Kosovo’s president, Vjosa Osmani made an appeal to have as many people come out to vote as possible. Osmani also emphasized that this process is of utmost importance especially since voters have the quality of their lives in their own hands.
11:17-Abdixhiku to citizens: Determine your own futures
LDK’s leader, Lumir Abdixihku voted today at the Faik Konica school. After casting his ballot, he stated that “this is the day when citizens of Kosovo determine their futures”.
10:55- Turnout in Kosovo’s local election until 10:55
9.97% of eligible voters have headed to the polls until 10:55 a.m., in Kosovo. That means that a total of 7.141 citizens have cast their vote so far.
10:54- PM Kurti: 4 blessed years await Kosovo
Albin Kurti cast his ballot in one of the voting centers, set up at the Faculty of Law in Prishtina, telling citizens that he will be working to strengthen communes further. During his word, he added that Kosovo is looking at 4 blessed years ahead.
10:00 –
The Kosovo police announced last night that a total of 4 citizens were put under arrest over suspicions that they had bought votes.
09:29-Haradinaj appeals to citizens to participate in elections
Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, voted at the ballot center set up at Ali Sokoli high school, this morning in the capital of Prishtina. Haradinaj invited citizens to take advantage of their right to vote.
09:22- Issues with biometric identification in the commune of Cair
The fingerprint identification system seems to have failed in one of the voting centers, namely no. 2942 in the Macedonian commune of Cair. As a result, citizens are temporarily asked to not exercise their right to vote, until further notice.
09:13- Members of the Serbian List vote together in North Mitrovica
Members of this political subject were seen going in to cast their vote by each other’s side in North Mitrovica. Voting in North Mitrovica seems to have turned to something normal during an electoral process in Kosovo.
08:32- Commissioners and observers in Kosovo are all vaccinated for COVID-19
All commissioners and observers during Kosovo’s local elections have received their COVID-19 vaccine, with at least one jab, or they’ve passed a negative coronavirus test, apart from those who have recovered from the virus within the last 6 months.
08:19- The winner in Kosovo will only be declared with an absolute majority of votes
Elections for the leaders of communes in Kosovo use a majoritarian system, that dictates that each commune is to be considered a separate electoral zone that produces one winner. The winner is the candidate, who wins more than 50% + 1 vote from the average number of valid voted in his commune.
08:14: Leader of CEC in Kosovo casts his ballot
The leader of the Central Electoral Commission in Kosovo, Kreshnik Radoniqi, has cast his vote just now, at a ballot center set up at the ‘Lidhja e Prizrenit’ primary school in the city of Peja. Radoniqi called on all political subjects running in the race, including Councils in voting centers to give their contribution in running a successful electoral process.
07:40- Who are the Albanians racing in the Macedonian elections?
During the 7th local elections following independence, Albanian parties in North Macedonia are racing in 18 of the country’s communes. At the moment, they lead 15 out of a total of 80. According to o a census conducted back in 2002, Albanians make up over 25% of the population in North Macedonia, and they are concentrated mainly in the cities of Tetovo, Gostivar, Diber, Struga, Kercova, Kumanovo, and Skopje.
07:22- Citizens living outside of Kosovo can mail in their votes
Kosovo will be allowing citizens living abroad to send their votes through the mail. Citizens that wish to vote in the mayoral elections 2021 have been registered to vote from July 10 through to August 18.
07:02- Mitrovica is split in today’s elections
Northern and southern Mitrovica will be heading to 2 separate polls today. On one side of the Iber River lie Albanian voters and their commune mayor, on the other side, lie the Serbian voters and their mayor.
06:31- Local Elections kick off in Kosovo
Over 1.8 million citizens in Kosovo are expected to head to the polls today to vote for one of their 38 commune leaders. 94 subjects are participating in these elections. 32 of them are political parties, 1 coalition, 35 civil initiatives, and 26 independent candidates. A total of 65 candidates are running for mayor.
06:30- Local Elections kick off in North Macedonia
There’s a total of 1.8 million Macedonian citizens voting today, for their 80 new commune leaders including the mayor of Skopje. 303 candidates are running in the race for mayor and 567 council advisors. For the first time ever in this country, a biometric technology to identify voters has been implemented.
