Opposition challenges validity of Himarë by-elections, seeks annulment

The opposition has formally contested the Central Election Commission’s (CEC) decision to declare the Socialist Party candidate as the winner, by requesting the invalidation of elections in all 36 voting centers in Himarë. In their appeal, the “Together We Win” coalition expressed their rejection of the election results for the mayoral race in Himarë, which took place on August 4.

Why is it significant?

The appeal, submitted within the legally mandated five-day period following the announcement of the results, disputes the CEC’s declaration on August 5, which named Vangjel Tavo, the Socialist Party candidate, as the winner.

Context

The “Together We Win” coalition claims to have evidence of significant irregularities and issues throughout the electoral process in all voting centers within Himarë municipality. Their primary argument is that individuals with expired identification cards, totaling over 6,000 citizens according to their claims, were not permitted to vote.

The opposition argues that since the issue of voters with expired identification was known to both the CEC and the government, the failure to take appropriate measures undermines the constitutional right to vote and violates the fundamental principles of equality before the law.

They further contend that in similar past cases, voters with expired identification documents were allowed to vote through special legal provisions, but no such measures were taken for the August 4 election in Himarë.

Additionally, the opposition has raised concerns about political pressure on voters, the resolution of property ownership issues in the run-up to the campaign, and irregularities related to the publication of voter lists and the use of political patronage networks.

It is difficult to discern whether the demand comes as a knee-jerk reaction on the part of an opposition that has contested every single election it has lost over the past 13 years, or whether this is an opening shot in the run-up to the general elections that the opposition is widely expected to lose.

However, the claims that underpin their demand are rather puzzling and do not stand up to scrutiny. Although there are 6,000 registered voters in Himarë lacking valid identification cards, only 200 voters with expired IDs showed up on election day and were prevented from voting. Tavo won the election with more than a 1,000-vote difference.

Furthermore, according to CEC, the 6,000 figure is exactly the same as in the elections of 2023, the reason being that most of these individuals are emigrants who live, and work elsewhere and no longer return to renew their Albanian documents or vote.

But perhaps more importantly, the opposition did not raise this issue before the elections at all. (In 2023, both Socialists and Democrats addressed the issue of voters with expired documents well ahead of elections by agreeing to allow voters with expired documents to vote by means of a normative act passed by the Government which extended the validity of all ID cards.) Nor did they call on their supporters to heed the call of the Socialist Minister of Internal Affairs weeks before the election, who urged all citizens of Himarë with expired documents to apply as soon as possible and benefit from expedited procedures.