Croatia votes on Sunday: All you need to know about the 2025 local elections

(Photo credit: HINA/ Daniel KASAP/Pool)

ZAGREB, 17 May 2025 (Hina) – Croatia will head to the polls this Sunday to elect local executive and representative authorities for the next four years.

Political observers are particularly focused on the outcomes in the country’s three largest cities – Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split.

In addition to the highly anticipated mayoral races, attention is also on the makeup of local councils and assemblies.

A total of 28 lists are contesting seats in these three major cities. In Zagreb, 12 lists are competing for 49 seats in the City Assembly, while Rijeka and Split will each elect 31 councillors, with seven and nine lists running, respectively.

Zagreb’s mayoral race features seven candidates, while six candidates are running in both Rijeka and Split.

Voters and analysts alike are also awaiting results from other key cities including Zadar, Pula, Varaždin, Dubrovnik, as well as from smaller municipalities such as Gospić, Sinj, Metković, and Samobor.

Who Governs the Counties?

The elections will also determine which political parties hold power in Croatia’s counties (županije). Results will reveal whether the balance of power has shifted since the last local elections in 2021.

Over 3.5 Million Eligible Voters

Just over 3.5 million eligible voters will be able to cast their ballots to elect among 31,082 candidates competing for local office.

Voting will take place at 6,600 polling stations across the country from 7 AM to 7 PM. During this time, a two-day election silence will remain in effect.

Eligible citizens may only vote in the municipality where they are officially registered, not in any other location in Croatia or abroad.

Some Officials Elected Unopposed

In 576 local government units, some positions have already been decided ahead of Sunday’s vote. In seven cities and 112 municipalities, mayors and municipal heads have been elected unopposed.

Similarly, 35 municipal councils were elected without contest, as only one list was submitted in each case.

How Are Local Officials Elected?

Municipal heads, mayors, and county prefects (župani) are elected by a majority vote. To win outright, a candidate must secure more than 50% of valid votes cast—i.e. 50% plus one vote.

If no candidate achieves this in the first round, a run-off will be held two weeks later, on 1 June, between the top two candidates. The one with the most votes in the second round is elected.

Deputy mayors, deputy municipal heads, and deputy county prefects representing national minorities will also be elected—79 in total—as well as representatives of the Croatian majority in areas where Croats are a minority (12 such cases exist).

Council Elections by Proportional Representation

Members of local councils and assemblies are elected via proportional representation. Each municipality, city, or county constitutes a single electoral unit.

Only lists that receive at least 5% of the valid vote are eligible to participate in the seat distribution.

Additionally, 297 EU citizens residing in Croatia with legal residence will be able to vote in these local elections.

The number of council seats per unit depends on population size: municipalities with under 1,000 residents elect 7 councillors, while cities and counties with more than 300,000 people elect up to 47.

Nearly 13 Million Ballot Papers Printed

Due to the number of administrative units, candidates, and lists, local elections are technically more complex than other types of elections.

In total, nearly 13 million ballot papers have been printed—about 3.5 times more than during the first round of the presidential elections, which required 3.6 million ballots.

Ballot papers are colour-coded for clarity:

• Blue for county prefects and the Mayor of Zagreb
• White for city and municipal mayors
• Light brown for county assemblies
• Pink for municipal and city councils

Ballots for deputy positions representing national minorities are the same colour as their corresponding primary ballots but feature a coloured stripe on the back representing the relevant minority group.

Voting with a “Blue Certificate”

To vote in council or assembly elections, voters circle the number in front of the list they support. For mayoral and prefect elections, they circle the number in front of their chosen candidate’s name.

Voters without a valid ID card or those not listed on the official electoral rolls at their polling station can vote using a special voting certificate, commonly referred to as a “blue certificate”. These certificates will be issued on Sunday by county administrative offices and the City of Zagreb from 7 AM to 7 PM.

Voter Turnout and Results

The State Electoral Commission will release turnout updates on Sunday at midday and again at 5 PM, based on turnout by 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM respectively.

Preliminary results will begin to be published at 9 PM, with updates every 15 minutes.

Fewer Observers Than in 2021

This year’s elections will be monitored by just over 6,600 observers—significantly fewer than in 2021, when 10,500 were deployed. The highest number of observers will be in Split-Dalmatia County, and the lowest in Međimurje County, which will have just 34.

By Marija Udiljak