Minutes after polling stations closed at 7 p.m. on Sunday, the streets of several Kosovo cities erupted in celebration as supporters of political parties took to the streets waving flags, honking car horns, singing songs, and setting off fireworks following the release of the first exit poll results.

Early results from Sunday’s municipal elections indicate that most major municipalities—including Prishtina, Peja, and Prizren—are likely heading to a second round of voting, while the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, anxiously waits for the vote count to see if they have won South Mitrovica in the first round. With around 68% of ballots counted in Ferizaj, PDK looks to have secured a solid victory in the first round.

In Prishtina, current mayor Përparim Rama of the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, leads the race and is expected to face Hajrulla Çeku of the Vetëvendosje Movement, LVV, in a runoff between the top two contenders. By the time of publication, around 50% of the votes have been counted with Rama and Çeku going head to head, in line with the predictions of the exit polls.

With around 60% of the votes counted in South Mitrovica by the time of publication, PDK’s Arian Tahiri and Faton Peci from LVV—currently acting minister of Agriculture—differ by around 1%. Exit polls, however, gave Tahiri a solid victory.

Around 73% of the votes have been counted in Ferizaj by the time of publication, allowing incumbent mayor Agim Aliu of PDK to claim the lead with around 56.3%. 

In Drenas, incumbent Ramiz Lladrovci, running as candidate of his own initiative ‘For Drenas Champion’, is ahead of the PDK candidate, Petrit Hajdari—one of the most surprising results.

A similar second-round showdown is projected in Prizren, between Shaqir Totaj of PDK and Artan Abrashi of LVV.

According to CEC counting results, LDK has secured wins in Lipjan, with around 90% of votes counted, and Istog.

According to the Central Election Commission, CEC, runoffs will take place on November 9 in municipalities where no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.

The CEC reported a turnout of 39%, with 2,069,098 registered voters in Kosovo and around 44,000 eligible voters abroad.

At a press conference on Sunday evening, PDK spokesperson Vlora Çitaku declared her party the winner of the local elections.

“PDK has won the most municipalities outright and leads in the greatest number heading to runoffs. It also received the largest share of  votes overall,” Çitaku said. “The real winners are Kosovo’s citizens, who proved that democracy and political maturity are stronger than ever,” she added.

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti congratulated voters for their calm and responsible participation in the elections.

“Kosovo’s citizens once again showed democratic culture by going through local elections responsibly,” Kurti wrote on Facebook. “Now it’s the turn of commissioners and observers to count and protect every vote.”

Vetevëndosje looks close to securing victory in the first round in the municipalities of Podujevë, Kamenicë, and Gjilan.

Srpska Lista, the Belgrade backed party, leads in most of the Serb majority municipalities—including four northern municipalities which were run by Albanian mayors in the last two years.

Meanwhile, the Kosovo Police said its nationwide operational plan for ensuring election security was successfully implemented.

“Thanks to strong institutional cooperation and responsible behavior by citizens, the entire election process proceeded calmly and without serious incidents,” the police expressed in a statement.

Authorities reported two cases of violation of voting secrecy—one in Bare (South Mitrovica) and another in Kllokot—as well as 11 cases of voters photographing their ballots, which were documented under prosecutors’ supervision. 

The prosecution announced in a press release that it “has not yet arrested anyone for crimes violating voting rights.”

Despite the generally smooth process, voters with disabilities reported difficulties accessing polling stations.

In Fushë Kosova, Agim Pajaziti, who uses a wheelchair, said he was unable to vote because the polling station at the “Mihal Grameno” school was located on the second floor.

“This is unacceptable—a violation and exclusion of people with disabilities. I’m very disappointed because my vote has effectively been taken away,” Pajaziti said.