Slovenia holds local elections for 212 municipalities across the country

Voters across Slovenia began casting ballots on November 15, 2026, to elect leadership for 212 municipalities. The elections involve the selection of mayors and municipal council members through 3,116 polling stations that opened at 7:00 AM. More than 1.6 million eligible voters are permitted to participate in this electoral process.

Election structure and candidate details

The current election cycle features a total of 614 candidates running for mayoral positions, including 123 women. In addition to the mayoral races, 18,016 candidates are competing for seats on various municipal councils. In 45 municipalities, the outcome is already determined because only one candidate filed for the mayoral position.

Voting rights for this election are restricted to citizens of Slovenia and member states of the European Union. Non-EU citizens holding permanent residency are no longer eligible to vote in these local elections. This election represents the ninth local election held since the independence of Slovenia.

If no mayoral candidate secures more than 50% of the total votes, a second round of elections will take place on November 29, 2026. This contingency ensures that a mayor receives a majority of support from the electorate.

Regional competition and key races

In the capital city of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković is running for a seventh consecutive term as mayor. Polling data indicates Zoran Janković has a 33.2% polling percentage, while Luka Mesec, the President of the Left (Levica), holds a 22.9% polling percentage. Luka Mesec is identified as a potential opponent for Zoran Janković in a second round.

The mayoral race in Koper shows conflicting projections regarding the final outcome. Some polls suggest that Aleš Bržan, the current Mayor of Koper, could win the position in the first round. However, other polls indicate a potential second round between Aleš Bržan and Nik Popovič, a candidate for the Koper is ours list.

In Maribor, officials expect a second round of voting. Bor Greiner, an independent candidate, and Matevž Frangež, a candidate supported by the Social Democrats, Cyclists and Pedestrians List, and the Left, are cited as the leading candidates in this municipality.

Candidate distribution in Gorenjska

The Gorenjska region features a significant number of candidates across its municipalities. There are 79 mayoral candidates in Gorenjska, consisting of 65 men and 14 women. The highest density of mayoral candidates occurs in Kranjska Gora, Radovljica, Kranj, and Domžale, where each municipality has 7 candidates.

In the Medvode municipality, there are 5 mayoral candidates. The municipalities of Bohinj, Kamnik, and Vodice each have 4 mayoral candidates. In Naklo, Jesenice, Žirovnica, Tržič, and Mengeš, there are 3 mayoral candidates in each location.

Several municipalities in the Gorenjska region have 2 mayoral candidates each, including Železniki, Žiri, Gorje, Bled, Šenčur, Komenda, Jezersko, and Škofja Loka. In Cerklje, Preddvor, and Gorenja vas-Poljane, only one candidate has filed for the mayoral position.

Glossary

• Ljubljana — Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia. It is the location where Zoran Janković is running for a seventh consecutive term as mayor.
• Koper — Koper is a municipality in Slovenia. The mayoral race in this location shows conflicting projections regarding the final outcome.
• Maribor — Maribor is a municipality where officials expect a second round of voting. Leading candidates include Bor Greiner and Matevž Frangež.
• Kranj — Kranj is a municipality in the Gorenjska region. It has seven mayoral candidates.
• Domžale — Domžale is a municipality in the Gorenjska region. It has seven mayoral candidates.