Skopje, 9 January 2026 (MIA) – Voters in the municipalities of Gostivar, Mavrovo Rostushe, Vrapchishte and Centar Zhupa on Sunday (January 11) will vote to elect mayors in repeat elections. The 20-day campaign ends Friday at midnight after which election silence is in effect until January 11 at 7 pm when polls close.

On Saturday, infirm and inmates, who are registered voters in these municipalities, will vote. According to MIA's information, 146 infirm voters are registered in Gostivar, 69 in Mavrovo Rostushe, 32 in Vrapchishte and only two in Centar Zhupa.

All is set for the repeat elections, says the State Election Commission.

Nevzat Bejta of Vlen and independent candidate Valbon Limani, supported by the National Alliance for Integration (NAI), are the mayoral candidates in Gostivar, Isen Shabani (NAI) and independent candidate Zelhajrat Demiri will face off in Vrapchishte, Arijan Ibraim of the Democratic Party of Turks is the only candidate in Centar Zhupa, while Oner Jakuposki of the VMRO-DPMNE-led coalition and Anes Ahmeti of SDSM will compete in Mavrovo Rostushe.

No interest has been shown for monitoring of Sunday’s repeat elections, says the State Election Commission, adding not a single observed has registered so far. 

According to the Electoral Code, a turnout of one-third of voters is not required for repeat elections, but in order to elect a mayor, more than half of the voters must vote for one of the candidates, including in Centar Zhupa, where there is only one candidate.

Mayoral elections are repeated in the four municipalities because turnout was low in October’s local elections.

According to State Election Commission data, less than a third of registered voters voted in the first round of the 2025 local elections. A turnout of at least 33.33% is required for elections to be considered successful. 

MIA file photo