Page 70 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

52 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS DURING COVID-19

Croatia

Parliamentary Elections 2020

The Republic of Croatia held its parliamentary elections on Sunday, July 5, 2020, across the country.
The elections abroad were held over two days - on July 4 and July 5, 2020, abroad. Polling was open
from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM at 6,999 polling stations: 6,558 standard polling stations in Croatia, 109
diplomatic missions and consulate posts in 41 countries and 332 special polling stations. The stations
were staffed by approximately 69,990 poll workers. Voters serving in the armed forces, in social welfare
institutions – such as temporary housing, assisted living communities and mental health facilities – or
in prison were allowed to vote at special polling stations designated based on the law.
The Croatian Parliament consists of 151 representatives directly elected for a four-year term. The
representatives are chosen from 12 constituencies, 10 of which elect 14 representatives each, while
the other two represent Croatian nationals abroad and national minorities, with three and eight
representatives, respectively. Members of Parliament are elected via a proportional representation
and preferential voting process, where a voter may only vote for one candidate list – slate – and mark
one candidate with precedence over others within the slate. Seats are awarded to the 14 numerically
greatest slates, with seats corresponding to the quantity of individual results within them. Slates have
to meet a minimum 5 per cent threshold within their designated constituency.
COVID-19 Safety Precautions during the election

Following the announcement of elections, the State Electoral Commission (SEC) began working with
the Croatian Institute for Public Health (CIPH) to develop and issue recommendations for election
administrators, participants and voters to protect their health throughout the electoral process. The
CIPH issued recommendations for local electoral commissions on collecting signatures for candidate
slates, the work of electoral bodies and election rallies.