# 2017 Macedonian local elections

Local elections were held on October 14–15 and 28–29, 2017, in the Republic of Macedonia to elect mayors and members of municipality councils of the 80 municipalities in Macedonia. These were the sixth local elections since the independence of Macedonia.
The mandates of the current mayors and municipality councils ran out on May 22, and unlike those of government ministers, they are not automatically prolonged until new ones are elected. The delay in this respect prevented institutions under municipal authority, such as schools, kindergartens, public enterprises, fire-fighting units, to execute their duties. The new parliamentary majority extended the mandate of the local councils and mayors until new election are held.
On June 3 the newly established government set October 15, 2017 as the date of the upcoming local elections. On August 6, Macedonian parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi announced that local elections would be held October 15, 2017.
The local elections were held as scheduled, on October 15, 2017. The election started in 7AM (local time) and the process was held in relatively peaceful mood, with several minor incidents throughout the country. The polling stations were closed 12 hours later. However, only 45 municipalities elected a mayor in the first round, and 35 had to vote again on October 29.
The second round of the local elections was held as scheduled, October 29, 2017. The election started in 7AM (local time) and the process was held in relatively peaceful mood, with several minor incidents throughout the country. The polling stations were closed 12 hours later.
In both of the first two rounds, voting was held a day early (October 14 and 28) for hospitalized and disadvantaged persons, and those in home detention or prison. A third round re-vote was held on November 12 in the municipality of Čair only.

## Results

| Municipality | Candidate | Party | % | Round won in |
| Aerodrom | Zlatko Marin | Social Democratic Union | 52.03% | First round |
| Aračinovo | Milikije Halimi | Social Democratic Union | 57.81% | First round |
| Berovo | Zvonko Pekevski | Social Democratic Union | 60.96% | First round |
| Bitola | Nataša Petrovska | Social Democratic Union | 59.77% | First round |
| Bogdanci | Blaže Šapov | Social Democratic Union | 55.37% | First round |
| Bogovinje | Aljbon Džemaili | Alliance for Albanians | 53.70% | Second round |
| Bosilovo | Zoran Zimbakov | Social Democratic Union | 53.80% | First round |
| Brvenica | Enver Pajaziti | Independent | 55.38% | Second round |
| Butel | Velimir Smilevski | Social Democratic Union | 57.02% | Second round |
| Valandovo | Pero Kostadinov | Social Democratic Union | 55.31% | First round |
| Vasilevo | Marjan Janev | Social Democratic Union | 52.52% | First round |
| Vevčani | Sašo Jankoski | Social Democratic Union | 53.15% | First round |
| Veles | Ace Kocevski | Social Democratic Union | 53.51% | First round |
| Vinica | Ivica Dimitrov | Social Democratic Union | 52.23% | Second round |
| Vrapčište | Isen Shabani | Alliance for Albanians | 51.25% | Second round |
| Gazi Baba | Boris Georgievski | Social Democratic Union | 53.57% | Second round |
| Gevgelija | Sašo Pockov | Social Democratic Union | 54.55% | First round |
| Gjorče Petrov | Aleksandar Naumoski | Social Democratic Union | 53.75% | First round |
| Gostivar | Arben Taravari | Alliance for Albanians | 50.12% | Second round |
| Gradsko | Robert Bešovski | Social Democratic Union | 53.51% | Second round |
| Debar | Ruždi Ljata | Democratic Union for Integration | 52.04% | Second round |
| Debarca | Zoran Nogačeski | Social Democratic Union | 56.70% | First round |
| Delčevo | Goran Trajkovski | Social Democratic Union | 51.83% | First round |
| Demir Kapija | Lazar Petrov | Social Democratic Union | 56.12% | Second round |
| Demir Hisar | Marjanče Stojanovski | Social Democratic Union | 55.43% | First round |
| Dojran | Ango Angov | Social Democratic Union | 58.19% | First round |
| Dolneni | Džemil Kjamili | Democratic Union for Integration | 53.90% | Second round |
| Želino | Bljerim Sejdi | Besa Movement | 51.27% | Second round |
| Zelenikovo | Borče Gievski | Social Democratic Union | 59.22% | First round |
| Zrnovci | Blaže Stankov | VMRO-DPMNE | 57.11% | Second round |
| Ilinden | Žika Stojanovski | VMRO-DPMNE | 57.34% | First round |
| Jegunovce | Darko Blažeski | Social Democratic Union | 61.79% | Second round |
| Kavadarci | Mitko Jančev | VMRO-DPMNE | 52.65% | Second round |
| Karbinci | Jordan Nasev | Social Democratic Union | 56.94% | Second round |
| Karpoš | Stefan Bogoev | Social Democratic Union | 57.70% | First round |
| Kisela Voda | Filip Temelkovski | Social Democratic Union | 54.89% | Second round |
| Kičevo | Fatmir Dehari | Democratic Union for Integration | 60.36% | First round |
| Konče | Blagoj Iliev | Social Democratic Union | 55.23% | First round |
| Kočani | Nikolčo Ilijev | Social Democratic Union | 55.80% | First round |
| Kratovo | Ljupčo Bojadžiev | Social Democratic Union | 57.11% | First round |
| Kriva Palanka | Borjančo Micevski | Social Democratic Union | 57.97% | First round |
| Krivogaštani | Rubinčo Šefteroski | Social Democratic Union | 53.90% | First round |
| Kruševo | Tome Hristoski | Social Democratic Union | 60.63% | First round |
| Kumanovo | Maksim Dimitrievski | Social Democratic Union | 52.53% | First round |
| Lipkovo | Erkan Arifi | Democratic Union for Integration | 58.55% | Second round |
| Lozovo | Aco Velkovski | Social Democratic Union | 55.18% | First round |
| Mavrovo and Rostuša | Medat Kurtovski | Social Democratic Union | 55.85% | First round |
| Makedonska Kamenica | Sonja Stamenkova | Social Democratic Union | 54.24% | Second round |
| Makedonski Brod | Živko Siljanoski | Social Democratic Union | 66.46% | Second round |
| Mogila | Jasmina Gulevska | Social Democratic Union | 51.22% | Second round |
| Negotino | Toni Delkov | Social Democratic Union | 51.44% | First round |
| Novaci | Ljube Kuzmanoski | Social Democratic Union | 53.00% | Second round |
| Novo Selo | Boro Stojčev | Social Democratic Union | 52.13% | First round |
| Ohrid | Jovan Stojanoski | Social Democratic Union | 54.07% | First round |
| Petrovec | Borče Mitevski | VMRO-DPMNE | 62.05% | First round |
| Pehčevo | Dragan Trenčovski | Social Democratic Union | 52.65% | First round |
| Plasnica | Ismail Jahoski | Democratic Union for Integration | 59.12% | First round |
| Prilep | Ilija Jovanoski | Social Democratic Union | 51.07% | First round |
| Probištip | Dragan Anastasov | Social Democratic Union | 52.27% | Second round |
| Radoviš | Gerasim Konzulov | Social Democratic Union | 50.13% | First round |
| Rankovce | Ivica Toševski | Independent | 58.27% | First round |
| Resen | Živko Gošarevski | Social Democratic Union | 55.03% | First round |
| Rosoman | Branko Janev | Social Democratic Union | 54.23% | Second round |
| Saraj | Blerim Bedžeti | Democratic Union for Integration | 52.26% | Second round |
| Sveti Nikole | Sašo Velkovski | Social Democratic Union | 50.17% | First round |
| Skopje | Petre Šilegov | Social Democratic Union | 50.33% | First round |
| Sopište | Stefče Trpkovski | VMRO-DPMNE | 50.78% | First round |
| Staro Nagoričane | Žaklina Jovanovska | Social Democratic Union | 65.36% | Second round |
| Struga | Ramis Merko | Democratic Union for Integration | 49.53% | Second round |
| Strumica | Kosta Janevski | Social Democratic Union | 59.45% | First round |
| Studeničani | Azem Sadiki | Democratic Party of Albanians | 52.17% | Second round |
| Tearce | Isen Asani | Democratic Union for Integration | 51.64% | Second round |
| Tetovo | Teuta Arifi | Democratic Union for Integration | 49.09% | Second round |
| Centar | Saša Bogdanovikj | Social Democratic Union | 63.47% | First round |
| Centar Župa | Arijan Ibraim | Democratic Party of Turks | 70.48% | First round |
| Čair | Visar Ganiu | Democratic Union for Integration | 48.66% | Second round |
| Čaška | Goran Stojanovski | Social Democratic Union | 69.58% | Second round |
| Češinovo-Obleševo | Gorančo Krstev | Social Democratic Union | 49.91% | Second round |
| Čučer-Sandevo | Jovan Pejkovski | Independent | 51.40% | First round |
| Štip | Blagoj Bočvarski | Social Democratic Union | 51.54% | Second round |
| Šuto Orizari | Kurto Duduš | Social Democratic Union | 57.61% | Second round |

## Incidents and reactions

Alit Abazi, an independent candidate for the council of Kičevo Municipality, was killed in public with a hand gun, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement that the murder was not politically motivated. The house of Vlado Misajlovski, a candidate for mayor in Gjorche Petrov, and the bakery of his father caught fire. Police statement said the bakery caught fire because of defective installation and the fire spread to the house. Elvis Bajram, a candidate for mayor in Shuto Orizari, was attacked with a metal pipe after arguing with activists of the opposing candidate. An NGO activist from Struga was beaten after speaking against Ziadin Sela, leader of the Alliance for the Albanians. Voters were caught trying to photograph the ballot and were immediately arrested. People were also arrested for inciting and participating in physical showdowns. Polling stations were briefly closed until the situations were sorted out.
The leading opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE filed dozens of complaints all of which were rejected by the State Election Commission. The leader of the party, former prime-minister Nikola Gruevski, said that he does not recognize the election as free and democratic and asked for an early parliamentary election. After losing in Struga, the city's former mayor Sela said that he does not recognize the result and called DUI to a showdown at an early parliamentary election. The Besa Movement reported that irregularities were noted and complaints were filed.