Low turnout of the first round of the Local Elections 2021, the lowest since independence, "melted" the votes of political parties, compared to the local elections in 2017, according to data from the State Election Commission.

Turnout in Sunday's election, according to the SEC website, was 48,99 per cent. The President of the SEC, Aleksandar Dashtevski announced that it is possible to have a small correction, because the data from the MEC are still arriving. However, even with possible corrections, the turnout remains historically the lowest so far and lower than the minimum of 56 percent recorded at the local in 2005.

According to the data on the number of votes won for the municipal councils, published so far on the website for the Local Elections 2021 of the State Election Commission, VMRO-DPMNE has the most votes - 285 525, followed by SDSM - 239 214, then DUI - 103 805, AA / A - 55 540, Left - 50 181, Besa - 25 426 and LDP / DOM - 24 850. Independent candidates in this election won 54 475, which is more than double the number compared to 2017.

VMRO-DPMNE now has a decline of about 50 thousand votes compared to 2017, when they had 335 769 votes, while SDSM recorded a decrease of over 180 thousand votes. BESA also has a drop of 21 thousand votes.

Compared to the last elections - early parliamentary elections in 2020 when SDSM and the Coalition (BESA and LDP / DPA) had 327 votes, in these elections all together have - 408 votes, which is a decrease of 289 thousand votes. There is a decrease of about 490 thousand votes in VMRO-DPMNE, for whose coalition 37 27 citizens voted in last year's elections.

DUI also has a minimal decline compared to the parliamentary elections, but compared to the previous local elections, it has increased by 14 thousand votes from 89 724 votes in 2017 to 103 805 in 2021. AA / A has the same trend, which has increased from six thousand votes from 49 125 in 2017 to 55 540 votes in 2021. However, AA / A, compared to last year's parliamentary elections when it won 81 votes, now has less than 620 thousand votes.

The Left, which won 50 votes in Sunday's elections, is growing, compared to the parliamentary elections in 181 when it had 2020 votes.

The highest turnout in 2013 - 67 percent

The October 17 elections were the seventh local government vote since independence, but the third to elect mayors and councilor lists in 80 municipalities and the City of Skopje. 1 voters had the right to vote, which is the most of all local elections so far and an increase of 824 voters, compared to the 864 elections.

The highest turnout in the first round was local in 2013 - 67 percent, and the lowest 56 percent - local in 2005.

In the second round, the highest turnout was in the local elections in 2013 - 65 percent, while the lowest - 43 percent in the local elections in 2009.

First local elections on November 17, 1996 - turnout in the first round - 60%, in the second round 51%.

Second local elections on September 10, 2000 - turnout in the first round - 59%, in the second round 53%.

Third local elections on March 13, 2005 - turnout in the first round - 56,36%, in the second round - 53,66%.

Fourth local elections on March 22, 2009 - turnout in the first round - 57%, in the second - 43%.

Fifth local elections on March 24, 2013 - turnout in the first round - 67%, in the second - 65%.

Sixth local elections on October 15, 2017 - turnout in the first round 60%, in the second round - 52%.

Source: MIA

So far, no party has filed a complaint against the voting and the results of the local elections