Local elections were held in Kosovo on 15 November and 13 December 2009. These were the first local elections to be held after Kosovo declared independence in February 2008. The elections were to elect mayors and municipal councils in 36 municipalities, and were contested by 37 ethnic Albanian parties and 21 Serbian lists. All citizens with a valid ID were able to vote in the elections.
Pieter Feith, the European Union Special Representative in Kosovo, declared before the election that he expected the elections to "pass the democratic test".
The elections were still unfinished two months after starting. Many cities recounted votes or ordered fresh voting.
Prizren and Lipjan held their elections on 31 January 2009.
These elections resulted in Democratic Party of Kosovo control over the majority of local positions.
Results Gjakova District Gjakova
Deçan
Junik
Rahovec
Qazim Qeska resigned as mayor in mid-2010. He later attempted to return to the position but was prevented from doing so by a court decision. A new mayoral election took place over two rounds on 21 November and 19 December."Përmbyllet fushata zgjedhore në Rahovec", Radio Evropa e Lirë, 19 November 2010, accessed 3 February 2024."Zgjedhje të qeta në Rahovec", British Broadcasting Corporation Albanian, 19 December 2010, accessed 3 February 2024.
Mitrovica District Mitrovica
Skenderaj
Vushtrri
Unrecognized results in predominantly Serb municipalities The Serb community in northern Kosovo generally boycotted the 2009 local elections. Although elections were formally held and results certified for Leposavić, Zubin Potok, and Zvečan, the turnouts were extremely low, the outcomes were not recognized internationally or in the communities in question, and the winning candidates never took power."Serbs in north Kosovo object to Pristina-controlled local governments," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 30 December 2009 (Source: Text of report by Serbian newspaper Politika website on 28 December)."Fituesit e zgjedhjeve në komunat e veriut shprehen të zhgënjyer", Telegrafi, 16 January 2010, accessed 23 January 2022.
Leposavić
Note: The nine candidates who were formally elected were the only candidates on the ballot. There were nineteen seats in the assembly.
Zubin Potok
Note: There was only one candidate on the Democratic Party of Kosovo's list.
Zvečan
Note: There were only two candidates on the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo's list. There were nineteen seats in the assembly.
Peja District Peja
Istog
Fadil Ferati died on 30 January 2010, and a new mayoral election was held over two rounds on 11 April and 9 May."Kosovo: LDK Leads in Istog Mayoral Vote", Balkan Insight, 12 April 2010, accessed 3 February 2024. Haki Rugova of the Democratic League of Kosovo served as acting mayor pending the new election."Deputy Prime Minister Manaj visits Klina and Istog", Office of the Prime Minister, Republic of Kosovo, 24 February 2010, accessed 3 February 2024."EU Calls for More Security for Kosovo Returnees", Balkan Insight, 26 April 2010, accessed 3 February 2024.
Klina
References