The president of Serbia is elected on the basis of universal equal suffrage in a free direct election by secret personal ballot for a term of five years. Under the Law on the Election of the President of the Republic of Serbia all adult legally capable citizens in the country have the right to elect and be elected president.
The presidential election is called by the speaker of the National Assembly, the country’s parliament.
Elections are called 90 days before the term of the incumbent president expires so that they are completed within 60 days of being called.
If the president’s mandate is extended due to the introduction of martial law or a state of emergency, the election date is fixed in such a way as to enable elections to be held no later than three months after martial law or the state of emergency are lifted.
If the president steps down ahead of the term, the date of presidential elections is fixed so as to enable elections to be held no later than three months after the resignation. In this case voting to elect the president must take place no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days after it has been called.
The holding of elections is organized and conducted by the Republican Election Commission and election committees. The members of the Republican Election Commission and their deputies are elected for a term of four years and the members of election committees and their deputies for the duration of the elections.
Candidates for President of Serbia can be nominated by political parties registered as of the day the election is called, by coalitions of political parties and groups of citizens. A group of citizens is formed by signing a written agreement between at least 10 voters.
The nomination of a candidate must be supported by no fewer than 10,000 voters by signing a special document of support for the nomination of a presidential candidate.
The written document on the nomination of a presidential candidate is submitted to the Republican Election Commission no later than 20 days before the election day.
The association which has nominated a candidate for president has the right to withdraw the nomination before the day when the Republican Election Commission approves the list of candidates in the presidential election. If a presidential candidate has been nominated by a coalition of political parties nomination is deemed to have been recalled only after the last political party in the coalition withdraws the nomination in writing.
If a candidate has been nominated by a group of citizens, a nomination is deemed to have been recalled only after the written statement to the effect has been signed by the majority of voters or by the number of voters envisaged for this procedure under the agreement on the creation of the group of citizens. In addition, a candidate may withdraw their candidacy of their own accord before the day the list of candidates for the post of Serbian president is approved.
On election day polling stations open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Voting takes place at polling stations in Serbia as well as at polling stations abroad organized at Serbian diplomatic missions.
The Republican Election Commission announces the election results within 96 hours after the closure of polling stations and the protocol on the election results is published in the Official Newsletter of the Republic of Serbia.
The candidate who gains the largest number of votes of those who have taken part in the voting is deemed to have been elected to the post of the President of the Republic. The number of voters who have taken part in the vote is determined by the number of ballots dropped by voters into the ballot boxes.
If none of the candidates gains the majority of the votes cast in the first round, a second round is held within 15 days of the first round. The date of the second round is determined by decision of the Republican Election Commission and published in the Official Newsletter of the Republic of Serbia. The second round is held on a non-working day.
The two candidates who won the largest number of votes in the first round can take part in the second round. However, more than two candidates may take part in the second round if more than two candidates share first and second places as a result of the first round.
In the second round, the candidate who gets the largest number of votes is deemed to have been elected to the post of President of the Republic. However, if the candidates in the second round win an equal number of votes a repeat vote on the same terms is held within 15 days.
If one of the candidates who made it to the second round forfeits their electoral rights, in the period between the first and second rounds new elections are held.