Elections

All adult nationals of the Republic of Croatia, and citizens of the European Union who have permanent or temporary residence or find themselves in the Republic of Croatia at the time, will have the right to vote

At direct elections, adult Croatian nationals elect representatives to the Croatian Parliament and the President of the Republic of Croatia at national level, and municipality heads, mayors and county prefects, as well as members of representative local and regional self-government bodies, at local level.

After joining the European Union, Croatian nationals also elect their representatives in the European Parliament.

Croatian nationals over the age of 18 have a universal and equal right to vote in Croatia. Voters have only one vote each and will not be called to account for their voting or not voting.

The Constitution guarantees complete secrecy of the vote.

Holding elections

Every four years, national elections are held for representatives of the Croatian Parliament, whereas elections for the President of the Republic of Croatia are held every five years.

Every four years, local elections are held simultaneously for members of representative bodies of units of local and regional self-government (municipal and city councils, county assemblies and the City Assembly of the City of Zagreb) and for municipality heads, mayors and county prefects, and their deputies.

Persons belonging to national minorities also elect members of National Minority Councils.

After joining the European Union, Croatian nationals also elect their representatives in the European Parliament.

Right to vote in local elections in another Member State

Croatian nationals also have the right to vote in local elections in another Member State in accordance with the regulations of the relevant Member State, in the same way that nationals of other Member States of the European Union who have permanent or temporary residence in a unit of local and regional self-government in the Republic of Croatia have the right to elect members of the representative body of that unit and stand as a candidate for a member of the representative body of that unit.

For more information on elections, visit the website of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration 

Elections.

Electoral register

All Croatian nationals who have reached the age of 18 are registered in the electoral register.

The electoral register is a collection of personal data of all voters who are Croatian citizens with permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia, Croatian citizens with no permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia and citizens of other EU member states who exercise their right to vote in the Republic of Croatia. The electoral register consists of records of voters who are Croatian citizens with permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia, Croatian citizens with no permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia and citizens of other EU member states who exercise their right to vote in the Republic of Croatia.

Voters are entered in the record of voters who are Croatian citizens with permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia according to their place of permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia, in the record of voters who are Croatian citizens without permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia voters are, as a rule, entered according to their country and address, and in the record of voters who are nationals of other Member States of the European Union who exercise their right to vote in the Republic of Croatia voters are entered at their request according to their place of permanent or temporary residence in the Republic of Croatia.

However, a distinction must be drawn between the electoral roll and the electoral register. The electoral roll is a part of the electoral register that is drawn up for every election after the closure of the register (10 days before the date of election) and is used for entering voters with permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia who have valid identity cards, as well as actively registered voters without permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia.

All Croatian nationals may also check their details online on the website of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration 

Electoral Register.

The same website also contains information on the number of voters registered at their address or any other address in the Republic of Croatia.

Also, it is possible to check whether the address in the electoral register corresponds to the address in the register of spatial units.

Voting outside of the place of permanent residence

Voters who will be outside of the town or municipality area of which they are permanent residents on the day of elections for the Croatian Parliament, President of the Republic of Croatia and elections of members to the European Parliament from the Republic of Croatia or a national referendum, may be temporarily entered in the town or municipality in which they will be located on the day of elections or national referendum. Temporary entry does not change the data on the permanent residence or address of residence in the electoral register.

Applications for temporary entry outside of the place of permanent residence will be submitted, after the election is called, to the competent administrative authority regardless of the place in which the voter is entered in the electoral register, and no later than 10 days before the date set for holding the election.

Voters who have digital credentials and access to the e-Citizens system can, before the elections, electronically apply for temporary entry, prior and active registration and changes thereto if they will not be located in their place of permanent residence at the time of the election and wish to vote in another location in the Republic of Croatia, or abroad.