Croatia will hold local elections on May 18, with 6,600 polling stations set to open across the country, 28 more than in the previous elections four years ago, the State Election Commission (DIP) said.
Voters will elect municipal, town and county councils and assemblies, as well as mayors, municipal heads and county prefects.
The highest number of polling stations will be in Zagreb County (642) and Split-Dalmatia County (609), followed by the City of Zagreb with 605. Lika-Senj and Međimurje counties will have the fewest, with 113 and 158 respectively.
Elections will be held in 428 municipalities, 127 towns and cities, 20 counties and the City of Zagreb, which has both city and county status.
Eligible voters are Croatian citizens aged 18 or older with permanent residence in the area where the vote is taking place. Unlike national or European elections, voters may only cast ballots in their place of residence and not elsewhere in Croatia or abroad.
The number of candidates standing for office continues to fall, reflecting waning interest in local politics. This year, 31,082 candidates have registered—7,770 fewer than in the 2021 elections.
In 2017, 47,601 candidates ran for local office, and in 2013 the number peaked at 56,558, according to DIP data. This year’s figure marks a 25,476 drop compared with 2013.
