VoteBNB has been launched to help Serbian diaspora voters reach polling stations for the October 25 parliamentary election. The volunteer platform connects voters who need transport or accommodation with people willing to provide it.
“Someone has an extra bed. Someone is traveling 600 kilometers to vote. Let’s connect them,” the organizers said.
The initiative was created by volunteers from informal groups of Serbian citizens living abroad. The organizers stress that VoteBNB is neither a political party nor a company and does not make money from connecting voters.
VoteBNB Responds to Long Journeys for Diaspora Voters
The platform was launched after Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission finalized the list of overseas polling stations and their voting hours.
According to the organizers, some Serbian citizens abroad face hundreds or even thousands of kilometers of travel to cast their ballots. The platform therefore allows people to offer or request transportation and accommodation near polling locations.
The organizers cite unofficial estimates suggesting that around 106,000 people registered to vote abroad. By comparison, official election commission data showed 39,270 registered overseas voters in the 2023 election.
They also claim that at least 32 cities with 100 or more registered voters have no polling station. According to VoteBNB, countries including Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait have no polling locations.
These figures are based on information collected by diaspora groups and should not be treated as official final registration data.
Overseas Voting Hours Create Additional Challenges
Voting hours are another concern for Serbian citizens living abroad. Polling stations are scheduled to operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Serbian time.
As a result, VoteBNB organizers say some voters in North America will begin voting after midnight local time. In parts of Asia and Australia, voting will take place largely overnight.
Long distances add another obstacle. The organizers cite Vancouver as an example, saying voters there could face a journey of more than 4,000 kilometers to Ottawa.
They also point to distances of around 1,730 kilometers between Miami and Washington and 615 kilometers between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In Spain, voters could face journeys from Valencia or Barcelona to Madrid.
VoteBNB aims to address those practical problems by connecting members of the Serbian diaspora who can share rides or provide a place to stay.
The initiative comes as diaspora voting arrangements have become a contested issue ahead of the October 25 election. Serbian authorities have rejected allegations that they are deliberately obstructing citizens abroad from exercising their voting rights.
