North Macedonia on Saturday held its eighth local elections since gaining independence, with about 1.83 million eligible voters choosing mayors and municipal councilors in 80 municipalities and the City of Skopje.
The State Election Commission (SEC) said voting began on time at 3,474 polling stations across the country. According to the data, the municipality of Kumanovo has the largest number of registered voters – 94,041, while Lozovo has the fewest – 1,905.
In the capital Skopje, 474,304 citizens are eligible to vote, choosing among 16 mayoral candidates and 19 council lists. Only one of the candidates for mayor is a woman.
Nationwide, 309 candidates are running for mayoral posts, while 576 lists have been submitted for municipal councils.
The SEC is expected to announce preliminary results no later than 12 hours after the polls close, and final results within 24 hours of their confirmation.
The elections are seen as a test for political parties ahead of the upcoming parliamentary vote and as a measure of public trust in local authorities following a series of controversies over infrastructure projects and public service management.