Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) has designated 93 polling stations abroad for the October 25 parliamentary election, as voting arrangements for citizens living overseas draw criticism over polling locations and voting hours.
RIK confirmed that it adopted decisions on both the locations of polling stations abroad and their opening and closing times at a meeting held on October 4.
The number of overseas polling stations has increased from 81 in the previous election to 93 this year. The Foreign Ministry initially proposed 90 locations before submitting an amended proposal, according to reports following the RIK meeting.
The decisions come amid heightened interest among Serbian citizens living abroad. Serbian Times reported that more than 111,000 citizens overseas had registered to vote, although that figure has also been cited by the student-led electoral list and was not independently confirmed in the official RIK notice reviewed by First Balkan Media.
Voting hours in U.S. spark criticism
RIK decided that voting at polling stations abroad will last 13 hours and must be completed no later than 8 p.m. Serbia time.
Because of time-zone differences, voting hours vary significantly depending on location.
According to the schedule reported following the commission’s decision, voting in a large number of countries, including Canada, will begin at 7 a.m. local time on October 25.
Different arrangements apply to polling stations in the United States. Serbian Times and representatives of the student electoral list have criticized the schedule, arguing that some voters would be required to begin voting during overnight hours and that some citizens would face long journeys to reach their assigned polling station.
The student list said the arrangements could make voting more difficult for Serbian citizens in parts of North America and other regions and announced that it would use available legal mechanisms to challenge the decisions.
Serbian Times also reported that several cities with Serbian communities would not have polling stations, potentially requiring some registered voters to travel considerable distances.
These claims have prompted criticism of RIK and the Foreign Ministry, but claims that the authorities deliberately sought to prevent diaspora citizens from voting have not been established as fact.
RIK President Vladimir Dimitrijević said the Foreign Ministry had processed a large number of applications and noted that a higher number of registered voters did not necessarily result in a proportional increase in polling stations abroad.
Some RIK members also sought additional explanations about the criteria used to determine polling locations and requested more detailed information on the number of registered voters by country and city.
Registration for overseas voting closed on October 3
Serbian citizens residing abroad had until October 3 to request registration to vote outside the country.
According to Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, eligible voters were required to submit their requests through a Serbian diplomatic or consular mission. The application had to include personal information as well as the voter’s address of residence abroad.
After RIK determines the overseas polling stations, the relevant municipal or city administration records where an approved overseas voter will cast their ballot.
For Serbian citizens in the United States, the Serbian Consulate General in New York had informed voters that applications had to be submitted by 6 p.m. local time on October 3, corresponding to midnight in Serbia.
The October 25 election will determine the composition of Serbia’s National Assembly.
With less than three weeks remaining before election day, the location and operating hours of overseas polling stations are likely to remain under scrutiny, particularly among Serbia’s large diaspora communities in North America and Europe.
