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Croatia

Franchise & Registration

  • Franchise Age: 18
  • Compulsory Vote: Not compulsory
  • Eligibility Exception: persons serving a sentence handed down by a court or persons declared to be legally incompetent.
  • Expat Residency Requirement: Expatriate citizens always have right to vote with no time limit
  • Registration Basis: Residence requirement

Election Management & Enforcement

  • Nameof EMB: State Electoral Commission
  • Independent EMB: No
  • EMBNominations: 9 members selected by the Supreme COurt and legislature (political parties). Combined membership.
  • EMBTenure: 8 years
  • Who Runs Election: Election Management Body
  • Nameof Elect Enforcement Body: Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia

Candidacy & Campaign Rules

  • Restrictto Candidacy: Any citizen who is at least 18 years old on election day can stand as a candidate, except for those sentenced to or serving a prison term of over six months at the date of calling the elections, and people who are not legally rehabilitated following sentencing for crimes against humanity and aggravated murder. A candidate is not required to have residency in the constituency where he or she is running.
  • Debate Average: 3
  • Debate Format: 2010: three before first round.
  • Campaign Length Average: 17

Electoral System & Organisation

  • Elect System Main Election: Majority
  • Main Election Type: Presidential
  • Main Election Cycle: 5
  • Numb Round Main Election: Two
  • Referenda_Law: Article 87: (5) Decisions made at referenda shall be binding.
  • Referenda_Binding: Wiki: The institution of a referendum is regulated by article 87. of the constitution of Croatia. Referendums can be called on any issue falling within the competence of the Croatian Parliament or on any other issue which the President of Croatia considers to be important for the independence, unity and existence of the Republic.
  • Voting Machine: None
  • Vote IDRequired: ID check compulsory
  • Polling Card: No polling card
  • National Holiday Elect Day: Never
  • Dayof Election: Sunday
  • Districting Source: Parliament
  • Districting Flexibility: The boundaries are determined by the law and the legislative power is vested in the Croatian Parliament (Sabor). Electoral Law: Article 36: The constituencies shall be determined by the Act on constituencies for the election of the representatives to the Croatian Parliament, in a manner that the number of voters in the constituencies must not differ more than + - 5%.

Polling Station

  • Average Voterby Polling Station: 1012
  • Normal Opening Time Poll Station: 700
  • Normal Closing Time Poll Station: 1900
  • Polling Station Numbers: 4443
  • Listof Polling Station Buildings: Public Buildings: Schools, local halls, library
  • Accessibility Requirement: Party to UNCRPD
  • Ballot Box Transparency: Fully opaque
  • Box Feeding System: Voter
  • Vote Receipt: No receipt
  • Tellersor Party Employees: The actual voting is conducted by VOting Committees. The VCs are comprised of a president and four members; the latter are representatives of political parties. The VC president (and deputy) must not be members of any political party and should preferably be in the legal profession.VCs have no standing membership and must be formed by five days before the elections. The majority and opposition political parties must propose two members each, eight days prior to the elections; if not the appointments are made by the relevant CEC.
  • Count Locallyor Centrally: locally
  • Manualor Automatic Count: manual
  • Nature Counting Personnel: Article 72: (3) After establishing the number of voters who have cast their vote, the committee opens the ballot-box and counts the votes.

Ballot Paper

  • Ballot Type: Paper
  • Singleor Multi Paper Ballot: Single
  • Ballot Paper Type Description: Single ballot paper. Voters vote for a single candidate slate. Voters may designate one single candidate.
  • Ballot Paper Type Photo Upload: YES
  • Orderof Candidatesor Parties: random

Remote Voting

  • Temporal Remote Voting: No
  • Geographical Remote Voting: No
  • Personal Remote Voting: No
  • Mobile Polling Stations: No

Special Needs

  • Provision Illiterate Voters: Act on Election of Representatives to the Croatian Parliament (2003, last amended 2011) Article 71 states: A voter who due to some physical handicap or illiteracy cannot vote independently, may come to the polling station with another person who is literate and who shall by his/her authorisation and according to his/her instruction encircle the ordinal number in front of the list name, or the name of the candidate for who the voter is casting his/her vote. A voter who is not able to come to the polling station, shall inform the Electors Committee of that fact. The president of the Committee shall determine at least two members of the electors committee or deputies, who will visit the voter and enable voting for him, taking into account the secrecy of the voting procedure. The president of the Electors Committee is obliged to register to the Electors Committee work minutes particular events like voting of voters with a physical handicap, illiterate voters, and voting outside the polling station by previous notice of voters.
  • Provision Blind Voters: Act on Election of Representatives to the Croatian Parliament (2003, last amended 2011) Article 71 states: A voter who due to some physical handicap or illiteracy cannot vote independently, may come to the polling station with another person who is literate and who shall by his/her authorisation and according to his/her instruction encircle the ordinal number in front of the list name, or the name of the candidate for who the voter is casting his/her vote. A voter who is not able to come to the polling station, shall inform the Electors Committee of that fact. The president of the Committee shall determine at least two members of the electors committee or deputies, who will visit the voter and enable voting for him, taking into account the secrecy of the voting procedure. The president of the Electors Committee is obliged to register to the Electors Committee work minutes particular events like voting of voters with a physical handicap, illiterate voters, and voting outside the polling station by previous notice of voters.
  • Provision Deaf Voters: If a voter, due to any physical handicap or illiteracy, is unable to vote independently, s/he can be accompanied to the polling station with another person. The accompanying person should mark the ballot only upon the authorization and instruction given by the concerned voter.
  • Provision Motor Handicap Voters: Act on Election of Representatives to the Croatian Parliament (2003, last amended 2011) Article 71 states: A voter who due to some physical handicap or illiteracy cannot vote independently, may come to the polling station with another person who is literate and who shall by his/her authorisation and according to his/her instruction encircle the ordinal number in front of the list name, or the name of the candidate for who the voter is casting his/her vote. A voter who is not able to come to the polling station, shall inform the Electors Committee of that fact. The president of the Committee shall determine at least two members of the electors committee or deputies, who will visit the voter and enable voting for him, taking into account the secrecy of the voting procedure. The president of the Electors Committee is obliged to register to the Electors Committee work minutes particular events like voting of voters with a physical handicap, illiterate voters, and voting outside the polling station by previous notice of voters.
  • Over Representation Vuln Group: Reserved communal seats - 6 Croat Diaspora 1 Serb 1 Hungarian 1 Italian 1 Czech/Slovak 1 Ruthenian/Ukranian/German/Austrian

Targeted Initiatives

Inclusivity Provisions