Sarajevo, August 6, 2024 — The United States government, through USAID, has announced a $500,000 investment to support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) in launching new voting technologies during the October 2024 municipal elections.
The initiative is part of USAID’s Support to Electoral Integrity (SEI) program, launched in October 2023 to strengthen election transparency and bring Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in line with international democratic standards. This pilot project will help prepare BiH for nationwide implementation by 2026.
The program focuses on enhancing election integrity, reducing human error, and preventing fraud—key steps toward EU accession and stronger democratic governance. USAID Bosnia and Herzegovina Mission Director Courtney Chubb emphasized that the project represents “a vital step in ensuring fair, free, and transparent elections, giving all citizens an equal voice in choosing their leaders.”
A key feature of the pilot is the introduction of optical scanners that automatically read and transmit vote results. These scanners, provided by Smartmatic, will be deployed at 145 polling stations across the municipalities of Vogošća, Tuzla, Visoko, Stolac, Novi Grad, and Prijedor.
These locations were carefully selected to represent a statistically relevant cross-section of Bosnia’s diverse political and demographic makeup. The technology aims to mirror familiar voting procedures while adding faster vote counting, fewer errors, and improved accuracy in reporting results.
By digitizing part of the voting process, the U.S.-funded pilot is designed to demonstrate how technology can strengthen public trust, modernize elections, and safeguard democratic values in the Western Balkans.
The United States remains committed to helping Bosnia and Herzegovina advance transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness—ensuring that every vote truly counts as the nation continues its journey toward deeper European integration.
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