2002 Montenegrin presidential election

2002 Montenegrin presidential election

22 December 2002
Registered	456,981
Turnout	45.87% (election invalid)
Nominee Filip Vujanović Dragan Hajduković Party DPS Independent Popular vote 175,328 12,319 Percentage 85.73% 6.02%
President before election Filip Vujanović (acting) DPS Elected President Filip Vujanović (acting) DPS

Presidential elections were held in the Republic of Montenegro on 22 December 2002.[1]

Background

The elections were boycotted by the opposition Socialist People's Party, who accused the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of pressurising civil servants to vote for Vujanović.[2] The elections were also overshadowed by the arrest of Deputy State Attorney Zoran Piperović for connections with human trafficking and forced prostitution.[2]

Results

Although Dragan Hajduković was a member of the Greens of Montenegro, he ran as an independent.

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Filip Vujanović	Democratic Party of Socialists	175,328	85.73
	Dragan Hajduković	Independent	12,319	6.02
	Aleksandar Vasiljević	Serbian Radical Party	6,448	3.15
	Milo Radulović	Natural Law Party	3,115	1.52
	Obrad Marković	Yugoslav Communists	1,747	0.85
	Jovan Pejović	Independent	1,704	0.83
	Milan Šparović	Independent	1,229	0.60
	Ilija Darmanović	Serbian Radical Party of Montenegro	971	0.47
	Milivoje Bakić	Independent	717	0.35
	Đorđije Milić	Independent	489	0.24
	Mihailo Marković	Independent	437	0.21
Total			204,504	100.00
Valid votes			204,504	97.57
Invalid/blank votes			5,094	2.43
Total votes			209,598	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			456,981	45.87
Source: IFES

Aftermath

Although Filip Vujanović won the election with 86% of the vote, turnout was less than the required 50%, so the election was declared invalid.[1] Fresh elections were held in February 2003, which were also invalidated, and then again in May when the turnout rule was abolished.

References

1. Republic of Montenegro Presidential Election of 2002-2003 Adam Carr
2. Montenegro vote ruled invalid BBC News, 23 December 2003