Local elections in North Macedonia, which took place today in 80 municipalities and in the city of Skopje, took place in a calm atmosphere, with voter turnout reaching 39.61% by 5:00 p.m., according to official data from the State Election Commission (SEC).
The 3,474 polling stations opened their doors at 07:00 and closed at 19:00, a few minutes ago.
Voting was conducted in secret, using biometric devices to verify the identity of voters.
According to the rules, a victory in the first round requires participation of at least one-third of registered voters and over 50% of valid votes.
Voter turnout: Gradual growth but below 2021 expectations
SEC data show an increase in participation throughout the day of this process. At 11:00, the participation was 9.3%, around 15:00 it reached 31%, while by 17:00, it stabilized at 39.61%.
This figure is slightly lower than in the local elections of 2021, where the final participation was over 50%.
In Skopje, turnout by 15:00 was 31.16%, with municipalities such as Çair (35.30%), Centar (34.40%) and Karposh (33.37%) leading the way in the capital.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported only two arrests in Prilep on suspicion of vote-buying, while the Association of Macedonian Journalists demanded better media access to polling stations after an incident in Karposh.
The largest participation was recorded in rural municipalities. According to SEC data, the leading municipalities are:
| Municipality | Participation (%) |
|---|---|
| Vevcani | 61.84 |
| Debarca | 53.41 |
| Demir Kapi | 57.65 |
| Doiran | 60.91 |
| Zelenikovo | 52.77 |
| Carbine | 50.25 |
| Konche | 55.13 |
| Kriva Palanka | 56.01 |
| Krivogaštani | 52.33 |
| Krusevo | 60.31 |
Municipalities with the lowest participation:
On the other hand, low participation was observed in some municipalities, mainly those with scattered populations or socio-economic problems. The municipalities with the weakest participation are:
| Municipality | Participation (%) |
|---|---|
| Shuto Orizare | 30.38 |
| Radovis | 31.57 |
| Gostivar | 25.89 |
| Plasnica | 32.87 |
| Vrapčište | 20.94 |
Today’s elections include 22 political parties, 19 coalitions and 119 independent candidates for 80 mayoral positions and over 10,490 candidates for 576 seats in municipal councils.
The campaign, launched on September 29 and closed on October 17, was dominated by issues such as EU integration, the fight against corruption and local development.
In May 2025, the Constitutional Court canceled the requirement to collect signatures from 1% of voters for independent candidates, facilitating their participation and promoting political pluralism.
OSCE/ODIHR has established an observation mission with 14 experts and 24 long-term observers, emphasizing the need for better regulation of the process.
The total budget for the elections is 9.76 million euros, with two-thirds of it spent on media and political advertising.
The SEC is expected to publish the final turnout figure, while the first processed results could be released overnight. As for the final results, they are expected to be certified within a few days.
If the participation does not reach the threshold of one third, some municipalities can go directly to the second round.
