Local elections were held in Serbia (excluding Kosovo) on 19 September and 3 October 2004, concurrently with the 2004 Vojvodina provincial election. This was the only local election cycle held while Serbia was a member of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.
The 2004 local elections were the first regular local elections held in Serbia after the fall of Slobodan Miloà ¡eviàin October 2000, and the voting procedure was significantly different from that used in the previous cycle. Under the prior system, local assembly members were elected by first-past-the-post balloting in single-member constituencies. The 2004 elections were held under a system of proportional representation with a three per cent electoral threshold. Successful lists were required to receive three per cent of all votes, not only of valid votes.
This cycle also saw the introduction of direct election for the mayors in most of Serbia's cities and municipalities (although not in the constituent municipalities of the City of Belgrade, which were exempted). Mayors were elected over two rounds, with the second round of voting taking place on 3 October 2004. The direct election of mayors was subsequently abandoned, and in future election cycles mayors were chosen by the elected members of the local assemblies.
One-third of assembly mandates were assigned to candidates from successful electoral lists in numerical order. The other two-thirds were assigned to other candidates on the same lists at the discretion of the sponsoring parties or coalitions; at least one quarter of the latter mandates were to be assigned to "members of the less represented sex on the list" (which, in practical terms, usually meant that these mandates were reserved for female candidates).
For the newly restructured constituent municipalities of Nià ¡, elections were held for mayors and for members of nine-person municipal councils (rather than municipal assemblies).
The campaign saw growth in support for both the centre-left Democratic Party and the far-right Serbian Radical Party, both of which were at the time in opposition in the republican parliament.
The most closely watched election was that for mayor of Belgrade. In the second round of voting, Democratic Party candidate Nenad BogdanoviÃÂ narrowly defeated Aleksandar VuÃÂiÃÂ, who was at the time a member of the Radical Party.
The Democratic Party won both the mayoral election and a plurality victory in the city assembly.
BogdanoviÃÂ died on 27 September 2007. He was replaced on an interim basis by Zoran AlimpiÃÂ, also of the Democratic Party.
Results of the election for the City Assembly of Belgrade:
The Democratic Alternative list did not receive three per cent of the total vote and so fell below the electoral threshold.
Municipal assembly elections were held in sixteen of Belgrade's seventeen constituent municipalities. The exception was Barajevo, where a special off-year election had taken place in 2003.
The elections were generally a success for the Democratic Party, which finished first in most municipalities and ultimately attained the mayoralty in eleven. The Radicals won the mayor's offices in Zemun and SurÃÂin, the Democratic Party of Serbia won the mayoralty in Lazarevac, and independents were chosen as mayor in Grocka and Sopot.
There was no election for the Municipal Assembly of Barajevo in 2004. The previous election had taken place in 2002, and the next took place in 2006.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of ÃÂukarica:
Dragan Teà ¡iàof the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Grocka:
Although the Radicals technically won a plurality victory, the election did not even come close to producing a clear winner, and the next four years saw several changes in the local government.
Blaà ¾o StojanoviÃÂ, elected at the head of an independent list, was chosen as mayor after the election, in an alliance with the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Serbia, the Serbian Renewal Movement, the Strength of Serbia Movement, and the Social Democratic Party. The coalition fell apart in mid-2005, and local Radical Party leader Dragoljub Simonoviàbecame mayor at the head of a new governing alliance. In late 2005, Stojanoviàwas able to return as mayor with a coalition including the Socialists, the Democratic Party of Serbia, the Serbian Renewal Movement, the Social Democratic Party, and Vladan ZariÃÂ's list. The Socialists and the Democratic Party withdrew their support in mid-2007, and Stojanoviàcreated a new coalition including the Radicals and Strength of Serbia Movement. One member of Strength of Serbia defected to the opposition in December 2007, leading to a period of confusion in which both the government and opposition claimed to control a majority of seats. This lasted until new local elections took place in May 2008.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Lazarevac:
The election did not produce a clear winner. Branko BoriÃÂ of the Democratic Party of Serbia was subsequently chosen as mayor.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Mladenovac:
Incumbent mayor Zoran KostiÃÂ of the Democratic Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election. The Democratic Party formed an administration with the Democratic Party of Serbia, G17 Plus, the Strength of Serbia Movement, and the Alliance for the Revival of Mladenovac.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of New Belgrade:
Incumbent mayor à ½eljko Oà ¾egoviàof the Democratic Party (DS) was confirmed for another term in office after the election, with the support of thirty-eight delegates. Maja Videnoviàappeared in the eighth position on the DS's list and was automatically elected. Nenad Milenkoviàwas also one of the DS candidates elected.
Parliamentarian Marko ÃÂurià ¡iàreceived the largely honorary sixty-seventh and final position on the DS list and was not given a mandate.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Obrenovac:
Although the Radical Party technically won the election, it could not command a majority of seats in the assembly. Nebojà ¡a ÃÂeran of the Democratic Party was selected as mayor.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Palilula:
Danilo Baà ¡iàof the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Rakovica:
Bojan MiliÃÂ of the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Savski Venac:
Tomislav ÃÂorÃÂeviÃÂ of the Democratic Party was selected as mayor after the election. A member of the Democratic Party of Serbia was chosen as deputy mayor.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Sopot:
Incumbent mayor à ½ivorad Milosavljeviàof the For the Municipality of Sopot list was confirmed for another term in office after the election.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Stari Grad:
Incumbent mayor Mirjana Boà ¾idareviàof the Democratic Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election. Nemanja à  aroviàwas elected from the first position on the Radical Party's list.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of SurÃÂin:
Rajko Matoviàof the Radical Party was chosen as mayor after the election. After a period of political upheaval, Vojislav Janoà ¡eviàof the Democratic Party became mayor in November 2005.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Voà ¾dovac:
Goran LukaÃÂeviÃÂ of the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of VraÃÂar:
Incumbent mayor Milena Miloà ¡eviàof the Democratic Party was confirmed for another term in office after the election. Her deputy mayor was a member of the Democratic Party of Serbia. Miloà ¡eviàwas replaced by Branimir Kuzmanoviàon 13 June 2006.
Future parliamentarian Konstantin Samofalov appeared in the fifty-first position on the Democratic Party's list. He did not receive a mandate.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Zemun:
Gordana Pop LaziÃÂ of the Radical Party was chosen as mayor after the election, with support from the Socialists and the Strength of Serbia Movement. Parliamentarian Vjerica Radeta was elected as a Radical Party delegate.
Andreja MladenoviÃÂ was elected from the second position on the Democratic Party of Serbia list and served in opposition.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Zvezdara:
Milan Popoviàof the Democratic Party was chosen as mayor after the election. Ljubià ¡a Stojmiroviàof the Radical Party became mayor on 18 February 2005; Popoviàreturned to office on 28 June of the same year.
Aleksandra TomiÃÂ appeared in the eighth position on the Democratic Party of Serbia's list. She did not initially receive a seat in the assembly but was given a mandate as the replacement for another party member on 18 February 2005. She was appointed to the municipal council on 28 June 2005 and remained in this role until 2008.
Local elections were held in all three municipalities in the North BaÃÂka District, and the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians won the mayoralties in all three jurisdictions. In Subotica, the party won a narrow victory over the Democratic Party; in the two other municipalities, candidates of the party won in local alliances with the Democrats.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Subotica:
Imre Kern was re-elected to the assembly from the second position on the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians list.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BaÃÂka Topola:
Future parliamentarian ÃÂrpád Fremond appeared on the list of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, although he was not awarded a mandate on this occasion.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Mali IÃÂoà ¡:
Elections were held in the one city (Novi Sad) and all eleven separate municipalities in the South BaÃÂka District.
The City of Novi Sad comprises two municipalities (the City municipality of Novi Sad and Petrovaradin), although their powers are very limited relative to the city government. Unlike Belgrade, Nià ¡, and Vranje, Novi Sad does not have directly elected municipal assemblies.
The Radical Party performed unexpectedly well in South BaÃÂka, narrowly winning the mayoral contest in Novi Sad and also winning the mayoralties of five other municipalities. The Democratic Party and G17 won two mayoral contests apiece, a candidate of the People's Democratic Party won in BeÃÂej, and independent candidate Branko Gajin won in Srbobran.
Results of the election for the City Assembly of Novi Sad:
The Radicals attained a working majority in the assembly with the support of the Socialists and the Democratic Party of Serbia (whose delegates aligned themselves with the Radicals over the objections of the party's leadership).
Former mayor Milorad MirÃÂiÃÂ, who had been defeated in 2000, was re-elected to the assembly after receiving the seventh position on the Radical Party's list. Future parliamentarian Nada LaziÃÂ, a member of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina, was elected from the third position on the Together for Vojvodina list.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BaÃÂ:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BaÃÂka Palanka:
The Serbian Radical Party and the Socialist Party of Serbia formed a coalition government after the election. In August 2005, the Serbian government dismissed the local administration on the grounds that the assembly had never been properly constituted and introduced a five-member temporary council pending a new local election on 18 December. Dragan Bozalo, as a directly elected mayor, was not affected by this decision and remained in office.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BaÃÂki Petrovac:
The People's Democratic Party merged into the Democratic Party of Serbia in late 2004; Predin did not participate in the merger but instead joined the Strength of Serbia Movement. He was defeated in a recall election in late 2005, and a new mayoral election was held the following year. The latter election was won by Duà ¡an Jovanoviàof the Democratic Party of Serbia.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BeÃÂej:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BeoÃÂin:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Srbobran:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Sremski Karlovci:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Temerin:
Future parliamentarian Rozália ÃÂkrész appeared on the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians list but did not receive a mandate.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Titel:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Vrbas:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of à ½abalj:
Elections were held in all seven municipalities of the Srem District. In each jurisdiction, the second-round mayoral vote saw a representative of the far-right Serbian Radical Party face a candidate from a centrist party. The Radicals won in Ruma, Ã Â id, and Stara Pazova; a Democratic Party of Serbia candidate won in Sremska Mitrovica, a G17 Plus candidate won in Irig, a Democratic Party candidate won in PeÃÂinci, and a member of the Civic Alliance of Serbia won in InÃÂija.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Sremska Mitrovica:
Jeà ¡iàwas a member of the Civic Alliance of Serbia in 2004. He left that party to join the Democratic Party in 2006.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of InÃÂija:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Irig:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of PeÃÂinci:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Ruma:
The Serbian Radical Party and Democratic Party of Serbia formed a coalition government after the election. Future parliamentarian Aleksandar MartinoviÃÂ was a member of the municipal council.
In 2007, three Radical Party assembly members aligned with the opposition, which allowed the Democratic Party to form a new coalition government. Nenad BoroviÃÂ was chosen as president (i.e., speaker) of the assembly. This prompted a crisis in the local government, as the former administration refused to turn over the seals of government or allow the new administration access to the official premises of the municipality. After six months of a stalemate, the Serbian government dissolved the assembly in March 2008 and appointed a provisional administration with BoroviÃÂ as its leader. NikoliÃÂ also continued in the office of mayor pending the formation of a new government.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of à  id:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Stara Pazova:
Elections were held in all four municipalities of the West BaÃÂka District. The Democratic Party won the mayoralty in Sombor, the largest community, while the Socialists won in Apatin and the Radicals won in Kula and Odà ¾aci. Subsequently, the Radical Party mayor in Kula was defeated in a recall election, and the Democratic Party won the by-election that followed.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Sombor:
Future parliamentarian à ½ika Gojkoviàof the Serbian Renewal Movement was elected on the SPOâÂÂNDS list. Former and future parliamentarian Zlata ÃÂeriàwas elected on the New Serbia list.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Apatin:
ÃÂuriÃÂiÃÂ was defeated in a recall election in 2006, and a mayoral by-election was held later in that year.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Kula:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Odà ¾aci:
Local elections were held in all eight municipalities of the MaÃÂva District. The Democratic Party won the mayoral contests in à  abac, Krupanj, and Vladimirci, while G17 Plus won in Loznica. The Socialist Party of Serbia won in Bogatiàand Vladimirci, Social Democracy won Mali Zvornik, and independent candidate Veroljub Matiàwon in Koceljeva.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of à  abac:
PetriÃÂ faced a recall election in 2007 but remained in office.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BogatiÃÂ:
Control of the local assembly changed several times in the term that followed. After the failed mayoral recall election in 2007, the assembly was dissolved and replaced with a provisional council.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Koceljeva:
GrujiÃÂiÃÂ was removed as mayor in a January 2007 recall vote, and a mayoral by-election was called later in the year.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Krupanj:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Ljubovija:
The Socialist Party of Serbia, the Serbian Radical Party, and the Democratic Party of Serbia formed a local coalition government after the election. Parliamentarian Sreto PeriÃÂ of the Radicals was elected to the assembly and served afterward on the municipal council (i.e., the executive branch of the municipal government).
A chaotic situation emerged in 2007, when two rival coalitions both claimed to hold a majority of seats in the local assembly.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Loznica:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Mali Zvornik:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Vladimirci:
Local elections were held in the City of Nià ¡, the five constituent municipalities of Nià ¡, and five of the six other municipalities in the Nià ¡ava District. The exception was Raà ¾anj, where the last elections had taken place in 2002. In the constituent municipalities of Nià ¡, elections were held for nine-member municipal councils rather than full municipal assemblies.
Smiljko Kostiàof New Serbia's political coalition somewhat unexpectedly won the mayoral contest in Nià ¡, defeating Democratic Party incumbent Goran ÃÂiriàin the second round. It was only with difficulty that Kostiàestablished a functional coalition government supported by the assembly, where New Serbia won only four out of sixty-one seats.
The Democratic Party won two of Nià ¡'s municipal mayoralties, and a candidate of the Serbian Renewal Movement aligned with the Democratic Party won a third. The Serbian Radical Party and the Democratic Party of Serbia split the remaining two. There was no clear pattern outside the city, where the Radicals won in Aleksinac, a local group aligned with the Strength of Serbia Movement won in Doljevac, the Socialist Party of Serbia won in Gadà ¾in Han, an independent won in Meroà ¡ina, and G17 Plus won in Svrljig. Generally, there was a trend toward membership of the local assemblies being divided among multiple parties, often with no group holding a clear advantage.
Results of the election for the City Assembly of Nià ¡:
Results of the election for the Municipal Council of Crveni Krst:
Results of the election for the Municipal Council of Medijana:
Results of the election for the Municipal Council of Nià ¡ka Banja:
ÃÂorÃÂeviÃÂ left the Serbian Renewal Movement in November 2007 and joined G17 Plus in March 2008.
Results of the election for the Municipal Council of Palilula, Nià ¡:
Bratislav BlagojeviÃÂ was expelled from the Democratic Party in June 2005 and later joined G17 Plus.
Results of the election for the Municipal Council of Pantelej:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Aleksinac:
LjubiÃÂ later switched his affiliation at the republican level to New Serbia. He was also the leader of a local group called "Movement for the South," which worked in alignment with the aforementioned parties. There was an effort to initiate a recall vote against LjubiÃÂ in 2005, although it is not clear from online reports if the initiative made it to a vote.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Doljevac:
Subsequent elections were held in Doljevac on 1 October 2006 to elect members of the municipal assembly. The results do not appear to be available online. Goran LjubiÃÂ's status as mayor was not affected, and the next local assembly elections after this took place as part of the regular cycle in 2008.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Gadà ¾in Han:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Meroà ¡ina:
Future parliamentarian Sanja MiladinoviÃÂ was one of the Democratic Party's two elected representatives.
There were no municipal elections in Raà ¾anj in 2004. The previous elections had taken place in 2002-03, and the next elections took place in 2006.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Svrljig:
Local elections were held in the one city (Smederevo) and the two other municipalities of the Podunavlje District. The Democratic Party won the greatest number of seats in both Smederevo and Smederevska Palanka but did not win the mayoralty in either community; independent candidate Jasna AvramoviÃÂ won in the former community, while Radoslav CokiÃÂ won in the latter. The Democratic Party of Serbia won in Velika Plana.
Jasna AvramoviÃÂ was defeated in a recall election in 2005. A by-election to choose her successor took place in early 2006.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Smederevo:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Smederevska Palanka:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Velika Plana:
Elections were held in four of the six municipalities of the Pomoravlje District. The exceptions were Despotovac, which had elected a mayor and assembly members in 2002, and ÃÂuprija, which had done so in 2003. The newly formed United Serbia party won a significant victory in its home base of Jagodina, and independent populist Dobrivoje BudimiroviÃÂ (formerly of the Socialist Party of Serbia) won a first-round victory in Svilajnac. The Democratic Party won in ParaÃÂin, and a former Democrat aligned with the Serbian Renewal Movement won the mayoral election in Rekovac.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Jagodina:
Petar PetroviÃÂ of United Serbia was elected to the Jagodina municipal assembly and served afterward on the municipal council (i.e., the executive branch of government).
There were no municipal elections in ÃÂuprija in 2004. The previous elections had taken place in 2003, and the next elections appear to have taken place in 2008.
There were no municipal elections in Despotovac in 2004. The previous elections had taken place in 2002, and the next elections took place in 2006.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of ParaÃÂin:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Rekovac:
Gorica GajiÃÂ was chosen as the municipality's deputy mayor after the election. BudimiroviÃÂ won a recall election in 2007.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Svilajnac:
Local elections were held in four of the five municipalities of the Raà ¡ka District. The exception was Kraljevo, the capital, where the previous election had taken place in 2003.
The List for Sandà ¾ak coalition won the elections in the predominantly Bosniak municipalities of Novi Pazar and Tutin. It failed to win a majority in the Novi Pazar assembly, however, and the rival Sandà ¾ak Democratic Party was able to form a coalition administration with other parties in the assembly.
The Socialist Party of Serbia won in Raà ¡ka, and an independent list led by a former Socialist won in VrnjaÃÂka Banja.
There were no municipal elections in Kraljevo in 2004. The previous mayoral and assembly elections had taken place in 2003, the next mayoral election took place in 2006, and the next assembly elections appear to have taken place in 2008.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Novi Pazar:
Although Sulejman Ugljanin won the mayoral election, the Sandà ¾ak Democratic Party was able to form a coalition government with the Serbian Radical Party, the Party for Sandà ¾ak, and the Serbian Democratic Alliance. The divided nature of the city's government led to an extremely tense political scene in the municipality. A 2006 recall election campaign against Ugljanin ended in chaos, and a new municipal assembly election was held in 2006.
Ahmedin à  krijelj of the Party of Democratic Action of Sandà ¾ak appeared in the thirty-first position on the List for Sandà ¾ak's list and was awarded one of its "optional" mandates. Mirza Hajdinoviàappeared in the thirteenth position on the same list and did not receive a mandate.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Raà ¡ka:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Tutin:
Bajro Gegiàof the Party of Democratic Action of Sandà ¾ak was chosen as deputy mayor after the election and served in the role for the next four years.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of VrnjaÃÂka Banja:
Local elections were held in all seven of the à  umadija District's municipalities. The Serbian Renewal Movement won the mayoral contests in four jurisdictions (including Kragujevac), either on its own or in alliance with other parties. The Democratic Party won in BatoÃÂina, and a party candidate also won in Kniàin alliance with the Serbian Renewal Movement. The Serbian Radical Party won in AranÃÂelovac, while a Democratic Party of SerbiaâÂÂNew Serbia alliance won in Topola.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Kragujevac:
Parliamentarian Nataà ¡a Jovanoviàwas elected from the lead position on the Serbian Radical Party's list.
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of AranÃÂelovac:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of BatoÃÂina:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of KniÃÂ:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Lapovo:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of RaÃÂa:
Results of the election for the Municipal Assembly of Topola: