Czech municipal and Senate elections begin amid reduced candidate fields and scheduling disputes

At 2 p.m. citizens started voting in municipal elections and the opening round of Senate elections, with polls open until 10 p.m. on Friday and reopening Saturday morning. About 6,400 local councils will be formed, but only one candidate list was filed in roughly a third of municipalities and five municipalities will hold no election because of insufficient candidates. The Senate contest covers 27 seats and features a smaller slate of candidates than in the previous cycle.

Parties such as ODS, STAN and ANO are focusing on Senate outcomes and local gains, while voting procedures require voters to cross out names on a single ballot for municipal councils and use sealed envelopes for Senate ballots. The elections will determine local governance and could affect the balance of power in the Senate.