The 2018 Slovak local elections were held on Saturday, 10 November 2018, to elect deputies to municipality councils, city councils and mayors, including mayors of boroughs and members of their councils in Bratislava and Košice.

The turnout slightly increased compared to last elections in 2014 to 48.67%. The highest turnout rate was recorded in Prešov Region (53.18%), and the lowest turnout rate in Bratislava Region (43.74%). Locally the highest percentage of votes cast was in Chorváty, Košice-okolie District (89.88%, 80 out of 89), and the lowest in Košice's borough Luník IX (19.44%, 862 out of 4,434).

In 762 cities and municipalities, only one candidate ran for mayor, therefore, these candidates needed only one vote to be elected. These included two cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, Brezno and Šaľa. In five municipalities, there was no candidate for mayor.

Electoral system The commune elections in Slovakia use the one-round system for all elected seats. Mayoral elections utilize the first-past-the-post voting system compared to local councils where voters choose from the list same number of candidates as are representing theirs electoral district. The candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.

Overall results

The following tables summarize the elected mayors and council deputies by their party affiliation.

Mayor elections

+ Summary of the 10 November 2018 mayor election results in Slovakia Parties and coalitions 2014 Results 2018 Results % Total number % Total number Independent candidates (NEKA) 37.95 1,104 42.42 1,232 Direction – Social Democracy (SMER-SD) 29.11 847 20.38 592 Coalitions of government parties (SMER-SD, SNS, MOST-HÍD) — — 8.03 234 Other parties and coalitions 18.35 552 7.19 222 Slovak National Party (SNS) 1.40 41 5.50 160 Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) 4.19 122 5.40 157 Most–Híd 2.99 87 4.37 127 Party of the Hungarian Community (SMK-MKP) 3.67 107 3.96 115 Coalition of Most–Híd and Party of the Hungarian Community (SMK-MKP) 1.03 30 1.06 31 Coalitions of opposition parties (SaS, OĽaNO, NOVA and Sme rodina) 0.63 19 0.59 18 TOGETHER – Civic Democracy (SPOLU) — — 0.55 16 Total 2,909 2,904

Council deputies

+ Summary of the 10 November 2018 council deputies election results in Slovakia Parties and coalitions 2014 Results 2018 Results % Total number % Total number Independent candidates (NEKA) 37.95 6,000 35.36 7,301 Direction – Social Democracy (SMER-SD) 24.68 5,123 17.88 3,692 Other parties and coalitions 20.14 4,179 11.42 2,359 Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) 10.55 2,190 11.38 2,350 Slovak National Party (SNS) 4.05 841 8.12 1,678 Party of the Hungarian Community (SMK-MKP) 5.54 1,151 6.04 1,248 Most–Híd 3.99 829 4.43 915 Coalitions of government parties (SMER-SD, SNS, MOST-HÍD) — — 2.18 453 TOGETHER – Civic Democracy (SPOLU) — — 1.38 285 Coalitions of opposition parties (SaS, OĽaNO, NOVA, Sme rodina) 0.45 104 1.00 214 National coalition 1.61 336 0.73 151 Total 20,753 20,646

Results in major cities

Bratislava

The incumbent mayor Ivo Nesrovnal elected as independent candidate decided to run for second term. However, he was defeated by architect and civil activist Matúš Vallo, supported by Progressive Slovakia and Together - Civic Democracy who became new mayor and defeated another independent candidate and former director-general of Radio and Television of Slovakia, Václav Mika.

Out of 17 new elected mayors of boroughs were 10 independent candidates and 7 candidates with the support of different centre-right coalitions - each with Freedom and Solidarity, We Are Family and New Majority.

+ Summary of the 10 November 2018 elections in Bratislava Mayor City Council Candidate Votes % Diagram Parties and coalitions Seats Matúš Vallo (Team Vallo, PS-SPOLU) 58,578 36.54 Independent candidates (NEKA) 17 Václav Mika (NEKA) 36,661 22.87 Centre-right coalition 15 Ivo Nesrovnal (NEKA) 29,531 18.42 Coalition of PS-SPOLU 13 Ján Mrva (OĽaNO, SaS, Sme rodina, KDH and others) 27,689 17.27 Iveta Plšeková (NEKA) 2,445 1.53 Roman Ruhig (SNJ-sv) 2,010 1.25 Others 3,390 2.11 Total 160,304 45 Valid votes 160,304 98.01 Invalid votes 3,264 1.99 Votes cast / turnout 163,558 40.68 Registered voters 402,062

Košice

The previous mayor, 2014-elected Richard Raši (SMER-SD), resigned from office after his appointment to new government as Deputy Prime Minister. Responsibility for the mayor office was taken over by Martin Petruško (SMER-SD). The campaign was influenced by rumored child harassment scandal of opposition candidate, Jaroslav Polaček that caused his loss of support from few major political parties. These rumors were later demented and Polaček won the election.

Out of 22 new elected mayors of boroughs were 13 independent candidates, 7 candidates with the support of different centre-right coalitions - each with Freedom and Solidarity and Christian Democratic Movement, 1 candidate of Direction – Social Democracy and 1 from Party of the Romani Coalition.

+ Summary of the 10 November 2018 elections in Košice Mayor City Council Candidate Votes % Diagram Parties and coalitions Seats Jaroslav Polaček (SaS, KDH, SMK-MKP, NOVA, OKS) 29,157 43.29 Independent candidates (NEKA) 18 Martin Petruško (SMER-SD, SNS) 16,044 23.82 Centre-right coalition led by SaS 12 Alena Bašistová (NEKA) 10,001 14.85 Direction – Social Democracy 4 Viliam Novotný (Šanca) 6,084 9.03 Centre-right coalition led by OĽaNO 4 Vladimír Vágási (Most-Híd) 1,325 1.97 Sport for Košice and the East (ŠKV) 1 Džemal Kodrazi (NEKA) 1,061 1.58 TOGETHER – Civic Democracy 1 Štefán Horváth (Národná koalícia) 733 1.09 Party of the Romani Coalition 1 Others 2,943 4.37 Total 67,348 41 Valid votes 67,348 95.30 Invalid votes 3,319 4.70 Votes cast / turnout 70,667 35.72 Registered voters 197,859

Prešov

Andrea Turčanová - the incumbent mayor elected with support of center-right coalition confirmed in February 2018 intention to candidate for re-election. Her biggest rival was the former mayor (2006-2014) and independent candidate Pavel Hagyari. + Summary of the 10 November 2018 elections in Prešov Mayor City Council Candidate Votes % Diagram Parties and coalitions Seats Andrea Turčanová (KDH, OĽaNO, NOVA) 14,205 45.73 Coalition of KDH, OĽaNO, NOVA 12 Pavel Hagyari (NEKA) 8,921 28.72 Independent candidates (NEKA) 8 Richard Drutarovský (PS-SPOLU, OKS) 2,648 8.53 Coalition of SMER-SD, SNS, Most-Híd 8 Miroslav Benko (SMER-SD, SNS, Most-Híd) 2,560 8.24 Coalition of PS, SPOLU and OKS 2 František Oľha (SaS, Sme rodina, Šanca, DS) 2,360 7.60 Centre-right coalition 1 Others 366 1.18 Total 31,060 31 Valid votes 31,060 99.14 Invalid votes 270 0.86 Votes cast / turnout 31,330 42.20 Registered voters 72,251

Žilina

Mayor of Žilina - Igor Choma (SMER-SD) announced he was not going to run for re-election. On the other hand, in Žilina occurred increased number of independent candidates elected to council. Election was won by Peter Fiabáne (NEKA) who was externally supported by both liberal and conservative center-right parties.

+ Summary of the 10 November 2018 elections in Žilina Mayor City Council Candidate Votes % Diagram Parties and coalitions Seats Peter Fiabáne (NEKA) 13,876 48.06 Independent candidates (NEKA) 25 Patrik Groma (NEKA) 7,142 24.74 Coalition of OĽaNO, SaS, OKS, NOVA 3 Martin Kapitulík (NEKA) 3,754 13.00 Direction – Social Democracy 1 Ľudmila Chudelková (NEKA) 2,548 8.83 Christian Democratic Movement 1 Ján Púček (ĽSNS) 917 3.18 TOGETHER - Civic Democracy 1 Others 635 2.20 Total 28,872 31 Valid votes 28,872 98.78 Invalid votes 357 1.22 Votes cast / turnout 29,229 41.30 Registered voters 70,771

Banská Bystrica

+ Summary of the 10 November 2018 elections in Banská Bystrica Mayor City Council Candidate Votes % Diagram Parties and coalitions Seats Ján Nosko (NEKA) 18,281 75.19 Independent candidates (NEKA) 20 Igor Kašpar (OĽaNO, SaS, Sme rodina, KDH, PS) 5,490 22.58 Coalition of SMER-SD and SNS 8 Jozef Sásik (SĽSAH) 401 1.65 Centre-right coalition 3 Peter Peuker (NAJ) 140 0.57 Total 24,312 31 Valid votes 24,312 97.88 Invalid votes 527 2.12 Votes cast / turnout 24,839 39.75 Registered voters 65,485

References