1940 Croatian local elections

1940 Croatian local elections

← 1936 19 May, 26 May, 2 June 1940

First party Second party   Leader Vladko Maček Party HSS-SDS Serb independent lists Municipalities 588 34 Municipalities +/- 34   Third party Fourth party   Leader Dragiša Cvetković Rade Končar Party JRZ Communists Municipalities 22 4 Municipalities +/- 86 4

HSS-SDS Coalition   Serb independent lists   JRZ   Communists   German lists   Minority lists   Farmers   Muslim lists   Davidović group   Elections not held

The 1940 Croatian local elections were held in 625 municipalities of the Banovina of Croatia on 19 May 1940, and in 33 municipalities on 26 May and 2 June. These were the first elections following the Cvetković–Maček Agreement and the establishment of the autonomous Croatian Banate within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The elections were not held in cities and some Adriatic counties bordering, or adjacent to, Italy. Only men older than 24 were allowed to vote. Voting was public and conducted by voice.

The elections were a landslide victory for the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) and the Independent Democratic Party (SDS), the ruling parties of the Banovina of Croatia, which together won a majority in 90% of municipalities. Serb independent lists, supported by organizations opposing the Cvetković–Maček Agreement, won around 5% of municipalities. The Yugoslav Radical Union (JRZ), the ruling party of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, suffered a heavy defeat and lost control in 80% of its previously held municipalities.

Due to the outbreak of World War II, the 1941 invasion of Yugoslavia, and the subsequent period of communist rule, these were to be the last multi-party elections in Croatia until the 1990 parliamentary election, almost exactly fifty years later.

Background

On 26 August 1939, the autonomous Banovina of Croatia was established within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It was formed under the Cvetković–Maček Agreement, signed by Dragiša Cvetković, in the name of the Yugoslav Government, and Vladko Maček, the leader of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS). The Banovina of Croatia included the entire Sava Banovina and Littoral Banovina, as well as parts of the Drina, Zeta, and Danube Banovinas.^[1] Its capital was Zagreb and Ivan Šubašić of the HSS was appointed as Ban of Croatia.

After the HSS achieved its main goal, Croatian autonomy in Yugoslavia, it had to face many new and difficult challenges in taking political responsibility in Croatia and addressing the hopes and expectations of the electorate. Due to the outbreak of the World War II, political leaders in Yugoslavia wanted to appease Germany and align the country with the Third Reich, tying their exports in vital war materials (aluminium, grain etc.) to Germany. Dire economic situation that resulted from the war heavily struck the impoverished peasants and workers in Croatia, still recovering from the Great Depression of the 1930s. The price of food in Croatia rose by between 50% (beef) and 100% (flour, potatoes, beans) between August 1939 and the summer of 1940.^[2] Gaping social inequality and the disappointment with the lack of profound political and social change that many expected to occur after Croatia gained its autonomy soon resulted in the rise of support for the Communists and right-wing extremists. Protests and demonstrations against the rising living costs, food and fuel shortages, high unemployment and inequality, as well as the approaching of the war, became ever more often. HSS authorities responded by persecuting trade unions, communists, underground Ustashe, as well as Yugoslav and Serb nationalists, increasingly relying on its paramilitary, Zaštita.^[3] During a communist protest in Split on December 17, 1939, the police fired at the crowd, injuring many and killing young shipyard worker and communist party member, football player Vicko Buljanović. His funeral the next day drew a crowd of 25,000 while 12,000 participated in a mass strike in Split and the surrounding region.^[4]

After terrorist attacks that included planting explosives in public locations in Zagreb, in February 1940 the Croatian Government banned the fascist Ustashe periodicals (among which Hrvatski narod) and interned 50 Ustashe members in Lepoglava prison, among whom was Mile Budak.^[5] Maček viewed the Greater Serbian organizations, the Communists, and the Frankists (Frankovci), a name he used for far-right extremists, as a danger to the existence of the common state. For him, the Communists were a "fifth column" of the Soviet Union, and he described the actions of the Frankists as "directed by Pavelić's emigrants from Italy". The Croatian Government also used the Lepoglava prison for the imprisonment of Communists, and the newly built Kruščica camp near Travnik as a detention site for the Frankists.^[6]

Under the Cvetković–Maček Agreement that established the Croatian autonomy, it was envisaged that the Croatian Parliament (Hrvatski Sabor) would be elected. Since August 1939, in absence of a Croatian legislature, Ban Šubašić governed through decrees and executive orders. Finally, on January 14, Regent Paul visited Croatia's capital, Zagreb, and co-signed the electoral law for Sabor elections. In preparation of these elections to elect the first Croatian legislature since Sabor of Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia was elected in 1913, the local elections in municipalities were about to take place. The last local elections of 1936 and the most recent parliamentary elections of 1938, despite being marred by regime violence, police obstruction and occasional casualties, showed strong support for the HSS-led opposition to the ruling parties and the King of Yugoslavia.

In April, Ban Ivan Šubašić issued an executive order detailing the rules for the local elections. The list that gains relative majority was to be assigned a third of the seats in the council, while the remaining two thirds were to be divided among the lists relative to their votes under the proportional d'Hondt method. Under the old rules, the party with relative majority was immediately assigned two-thirds of the seats.^[7] The council president (mayor) was to be elected on a secret ballot in the council, but does not necessarily have to be a councilman. Municipal clerks (notaries, treasuries) became Banovina's employees, not local ones. Ban of Croatia also had the right to regroup the municipalities, dissolve them, and change their borders. Šubašić used this right to regroup municipalities in Posavina, in Derventa, Brčko and Gradačac districts.

On April 22, Šubašić called the elections for May 19. Due to the WWII engulfing most of Europe and the Royal Yugoslav Army being placed at the higher level of alertness, many men were called to serve with the reserve troops or to take part in the army maneuvers. HSS decided not to call the elections in cities, but just municipalities. In cities, HSS-led Croatian government appointed HSS members as mayors or commissioners. In April, after the increased Serb nationalist activities refuting the Cvetković-Maček agreement, the government also dissolved the municipalities in Serb-majority Kistanje and Obrovac. Smilčić and Skradin municipalities were also dissolved.^[8]

On May 10, German army attacked the Low Countries and France, intensifying the war. Netherlands surrendered on 15 May. By 17 May, Germans occupied Brussels and overran most of Belgium, reaching the French channel. These events had a deep impact on public opinion in Yugoslavia.

Women's vote

Yugoslav magazine Žena danas ("Woman Today") started campaigning in October 1939 to extend the suffrage to women. Socialist trade unions and communists in Croatia supported the action. However, the women's organisation of HSS opposed it, declaring that the party leadership will decide when the best moment to introduce women's suffrage in Croatia is.^[9]

Campaign

Ban Šubašić visited less developed regions in Lika and Dalmatia in late 1939, promising public works on infrastructure. Secretary-general of the Croatian Peasant Party, Juraj Krnjević, toured Croatia, visiting municipal and district party organizations, trying to settle some disputes, unite fractions and revert splits in the party. For instance, the differences in opinion on certain appointments and on the issue of supporting the metal workers' strike in Slavonski Brod alienated the district party organisation from the national HSS leadership; as Brod HSS refused to toe the party line and split into many factions, the entire district organisation was dissolved in March 1940, despite the 37-6 vote of confidence in the Brod party chairman.^[10] In general, Krnjević tried to assuage dissidents and remind the party cadre of the importance of the elections. While he had some success in Dubrovnik, still, according to historian G. Jakovčev, there were as many as 70 lists by HSS dissidents in Dalmatia alone^[11] (e.g. Ston,^[12] Šipan,^[12] Makarska, etc.). Krnjević also tried to address the economic concerns, declaring at a rally in Split that Croatia has to be more equal and that HSS will not allow some to be millionaires while others are hungry.^[13] Maček tried to downplay the importance of the elections, going as far as saying that he does not attach "any political importance" to it, as many local and even personal particularities play a role in them. In a circular note to HSS organisations he reminded them to consider economic interests first when choosing candidates for councilmen and mayors.^[13] However, it was still important to eliminate anti-agreement forces (JRZ in particular) from positions of power in Croatia and show HSS and SDS' strength.

External image
HSS secretary-general Krnjevic at a speech in 1939

Due to the royal Yugoslav regime's ban and persecution since 1921, Croatian communists had to run in the elections as the Party of the working people (Croatian Stranka radnog naroda, SRN). According to historian Sibe Kvesić, the gendarmerie and the local authorities frequently harassed the communists and their supporters, spreading rumours and threatening voters who intended to vote for the communists.^[14] In some places, the judicial or administrative authorities pressed hard to bar the SRN putting the candidates due to any petty mistakes.^[15][14]

Political opponents of Cvetković-Maček agreement and the establishment of Banovina of Croatia had different strategies for contesting the elections. Yugoslav people's party (JNS) in Croatia, chaired by Grga Andjelinović, chose not to contest the elections, while it advised party cadre and fractions under senator Petar Zec to still put up lists in some municipalities together with the Yugoslav radicals (JRZ) and other Serb parties.^[16][17] These were usually named "nonpartisan Serb lists." Serb nationalists claimed that the Banovina of Croatia was Maček's dictatorship and that only a unitary and centralised Kingdom of Yugoslavia could bring prosperity to Croatian Serbs. Some of them openly advocated secession of Serb-majority municipalities and counties from Banovina of Croatia and joining neighbouring, Serb-majority Vrbas Banovina. JRZ chairman, Yugoslav prime minister Cvetković, called Serbs of Croatia to cast their votes for JRZ as a show of support for unitary Yugoslavia.

On May 1, Croatian communists organised a mass strike in Zagreb to commemorate the International Workers' Day, claiming strike participation rate close to 90%. Communist activists and protests, predominantly students, blocked the tram depot and thus prevented the trams in Zagreb from operating the entire day. Tram workers' trade union joined them as well. Protesting workers clashed with the police and HSS paramilitary (Zaštita), resulting in numerous wounded and injured.^[18] This was the first time in Kingdom of Yugoslavia the workers decided to organize mass strikes and protests on May 1.^[19]

On May 17, just two days ahead of the elections, Ban Šubašić postponed indefinitely the elections in municipalities in Kastav, Čabar, Delnice, Sušak, Benkovac and Šibenik district. The Croatian government officially stated that it exempted them due to their proximity to the Adriatic military area surrounding important naval harbors. Namely, this operational zone was put under alert after the begin of the WWII due to its bordering Italy or being adjacent to Italian coast, as Yugoslavia was wary of an Italian attack. However, others suspected that the elections were not held there due to some of these municipalities being communist strongholds (such as Tisno, Zlarin and Vodice, where communists won in 1936) as an expected communist victory there would make HSS weaknesses very visible.^[14] At the same time, Ban Šubašić postponed the elections in Brčko and Gradačac district and Konavle municipality for May 26, and in Derventa district as well as Pazarište, Brestovsko, Kloštar Ivanić, Bosiljevo, Šamac and Cvetlin municipalities for 2 June.^[20]

Voting

Only men older than 24 were allowed to vote. Voting was public; a voter had to loudly declare his name and the list he wanted to vote for. In many municipalities, the only list contesting the elections was the HSS one.^[12] In some municipalities (Andrijaševci, Retkovci, Opuzen, Gunja and Farkaševac), clashes between the voters and incidents occurred so the elections had to be repeated or postponed for a week.^[21] Elections were held in 620 municipalities on May 19, while some counties voted a week later or in June.^[22] After Šubašić's reshuffling prior to the local elections,^[23] the Banovina of Croatia had altogether 693 municipalities and 25 cities within 99 districts at the end of 1940. Two of those municipalities were created after the local elections were held.^[24]

Due to gerrymandering of municipal borders just before the elections, most notably in attaching JRZ-leaning Cavtat to HSS-leaning Gruda to form a new municipality (Konavle)^[25] south of Dubrovnik or Independent Democratic Party (SDS)-advocated border changes in Bosanska Posavina around Odžak, some Bosniaks and Serbs boycotted the elections there.^[22]

Election results

The HSS-SDS coalition won a majority of municipalities and established full political control over the territory of the Banovina of Croatia.^[20] Preliminary results of the 19 May elections showed that the HSS alone won a majority in 425 municipalities, the SDK in 106, the SDS in 27, the HSS and the Muslim Organization of the HSS in 4, the HSS and Germans in 1, the Muslim Organization of the HSS in 2, the SDK with other groups in 1, and the SDS with other Serb parties in 1. The JRZ won a majority in 20 municipalities, the JRZ and Farmers in 1, joint Serb lists in 8, Serb non-partisan lists in 18, non-partisan city lists in 2, independent lists in 2, Farmers in 1, leftists in 1, Germans in 3, and ethnic minority lists in 2.^[26]

The election showed some weakening of support for the major political parties.^[27] After the local elections in 1936, HSS won majority in 512 out of 612 municipalities in Sava and Littoral banovina, roughly corresponding with the later-established Banovina of Croatia.^[28] In littoral banovina, in 1936 HSS won 75 out of 94 municipalities (80%).^[29]

The results were especially poor showing for Yugoslav radical union (JRZ), which won majority in 21 municipalities, compared to 108 they held power in before the elections. In 195 municipalities with absolute or relative Serb majority, out of 121,429 voters JRZ and independent Serb lists won 36,502 votes, SDS alone 15,183 while HSS-SDS coalition (SDK) won 44.262 votes.^[30] The JRZ lost most of its previously held municipalities to the SDK and the SDS.^[31]

The Communists won the majority in the councils of Sinj,^[32] Trogir, Komiža, and Vrboska (2/3 majority),^[33] a third of votes in Omiš,^[14] and a quarter in Makarska^[34] in Dalmatia. In Vrgorac, communists came second and won 8 seats in the council, while in Smiljan they lost by 4 votes in repeated elections, also winning 8 seats in the council.

Independent German ethnic lists won majority in 5 municipalities. Ethnic Germans ran on other lists, too, mostly on HSS tickets. Joint HSS-German list won in one municipality. Altogether, ethnic Croatian Germans won 177 mandates in 45 municipalities.^[35]

Elections in 20 municipalities were held on 26 May,^[36] and in 13 municipalities on 2 June.^[37] On 5 June, the Government published the corrected results for some municipalities.^[38]

Turnout

As the 1936 local elections were used by the HSS-led Croatian opposition to wrestle some self-government from the central Yugoslav authorities, the turnout stood at around 80%.^[29] The turnout in 1940 was significantly lower in many areas, partially reflecting the dissatisfaction and the lack of interest of the population. In Osijek district as a whole, the turnout was 50.89% (4,708 voted out of 9,250),^[39] in Drniš it was 52.11%, while In Daruvar district the turnout was 48% (4,076 voted). At some parts of Daruvar area it was as low as 21%. As the communists were administratively barred from contesting the elections in Vis, many chose to abstain in protest, bringing the turnout to 50%. On the other hand, Royal Yugoslav Armed forces mobilized many men fit for military service in its 1939/40 mobilization.

Summary

Politics of Croatia
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v t e

Mandates (19 May)^[40]

Political party		Abbr.	Mandates	%
	Croatian Peasant Party	HSS	9,385	71.77%
	Peasant-Democratic Coalition	SDK	1,708	13.06%
	Independent Democratic Party	SDS	767	5.87%
	Croatian Peasant Party and Muslims		149	1.14%
	Yugoslav Radical Union	JRZ	489	3.74%
	Serb independent lists		262	2%
	Other lists		262	2%
	Workers' lists (communists)		54	0.41%
Total			13,076

Overall municipalities^{[41][36][37][38][42]}

Political parties and coalitions			Abbr.	Municipalities	%
Croatian Peasant Party and Independent Democratic Party		Croatian Peasant Party	HSS	446	67.78%
		Peasant-Democratic Coalition	SDK	104	15.81%
		Independent Democratic Party	SDS	26	3.95%
		Croatian Peasant Party and Muslims		6	0.91%
		Other coalitions		6	0.91%
Serb independent lists		Non-partisan Serb lists		25	3.80%
		United Serb lists		8	1.22%
		United Muslim and Serb list		1	0.15%
Yugoslav Radical Union		Yugoslav Radical Union	JRZ	21	3.19%
		Yugoslav Radical Union and Farmers		1	0.15%
Workers' lists (communists)		Party of the Working People	SRN	3	0.46%
		Union of Workers and Peasants	LSRS	1	0.15%
		German ethnic lists		4	0.61%
		Other lists		6	0.91%
Total				658

Municipality totals HSS-SDS Coalition   89.4% Serb independent lists   5.2% JRZ   3.3% Communists   0.6% German lists   0.6% Other   0.9%

Municipalities

District	Municipality	Party
Benkovac	Benkovac		Elections not held
	Kistanje		Elections not held
	Novigrad		Elections not held
	Obrovac		Elections not held
	Ravni Kotari		Elections not held
	Stankovci		Elections not held
Biograd	Biograd		HSS
	Nin		HSS
	Zemunik		HSS
Bjelovar	Bjelovar		SDK
	Farkaševac		SDK
	Gudovac		SDK
	Ivanska		HSS
	Kapela		HSS
	Nova Rača		SDK
	Predavac		SDK
	Prespa		SDK
	Severin		HSS
	Trojstvo		SDK
	Velika Pisanica		HSS
	Zrinski Topolovac		Elections not held
Brač	Bol		HSS
	Milna		HSS
	Nerežišća		HSS
	Postira		HSS
	Pučišća		HSS
	Selca		HSS
	Supetar		HSS
	Sutivan		SDK
Brčko	Bosanski Šamac		HSS and Farmers
	Brčko		HSS
	Brezovo Polje		Davidović group
	Bukvik		HSS
	Čelić		HSS and Muslims
	Donja Mahala		HSS
	Gornji Rahić		HSS
	Obudovac		Non-partisan Serb list
	Tramošnjica		HSS and Farmers
Brinje	Brinje		SDK
	Jezerane		HSS
Brod	Andrijevci		HSS
	Bebrina		HSS
	Beravci		HSS
	Brodski Drenovac		HSS
	Brodski Stupnik		HSS
	Brodski Varoš		HSS
	Garčin		HSS
	Kaniža		HSS
	Klakar		HSS
	Kobaš		SDK
	Lužani		SDK
	Oriovac		HSS
	Podcrkavlje		HSS
	Podvinj		HSS
	Sibinj		HSS
	Slavonski Brod		Elections not held
	Svilaj		HSS
	Trnjani		SDK
	Velika Kopanica		HSS
Bugojno	Bugojno		SDK
	Gornji Vakuf		SDK
	Kupres		Non-partisan Serb list
Crikvenica	Crikvenica		HSS
	Drivenik		HSS
	Grižane-Belgrad		HSS
	Selce		HSS
	Sveti Jakov Šiljevica		HSS
Čabar	Čabar		Elections not held
	Draga		Elections not held
	Gerovo		Elections not held
	Osilnica		Elections not held
	Plešce		Elections not held
	Prezid		Elections not held
Čakovec	Belica		HSS
	Čakovec		Elections not held
	Čakovec-Okolica		HSS
	Gornji Mihaljevec		HSS
	Macinec		HSS
	Mursko Središće		HSS
	Nedelišće		HSS
	Podturen		HSS
	Strahoninec		HSS
	Sveti Juraj na Bregu		HSS
	Sveti Martin na Muri		HSS
	Vratišinec		HSS
Čazma	Čazma		HSS
	Dubrava		HSS
	Ivanić-Grad		HSS
	Kloštar Ivanić		HSS
	Križ		HSS
	Štefanje		HSS
Daruvar	Bijela		Non-partisan Serb list
	Daruvar		HSS
	Daruvarski Brestovac		HSS
	Dežanovac		SDK
	Đulaves (Miokovićevo)		SDK
	Končanica		HSS
	Sirač		HSS
	Uljanik		HSS
	Vanjski Daruvar		United Serb list
	Veliki Bastaji		United Serb list
Delnice	Brod na Kupi		Elections not held
	Brod-Moravice		Elections not held
	Crni Lug		Elections not held
	Delnice		Elections not held
	Fužine		Elections not held
	Lič		Elections not held
	Lokve		Elections not held
	Mrkopalj		Elections not held
	Skrad		Elections not held
Derventa	Bosanski Brod		HSS
	Bosanski Kobaš		United Muslim and Serb list
	Derventa		HSS
	Derventa-selo		HSS
	Lužani Mulabegovi		HSS
	Osinja		Farmers
	Plehan		HSS
	Podnovlje		Non-partisan Serb list
Donja Stubica	Bistra		HSS
	Donja Stubica		HSS
	Gornja Stubica		HSS
	Marija Bistrica		HSS
	Oroslavje		HSS
Donji Lapac	Donji Lapac		SDK
	Srb		Non-partisan Serb list
Donji Miholjac	Čađavica		HSS
	Donji Miholjac		HSS
	Marijanci		HSS
	Podravska Moslavina		HSS
	Podravski Podgajci		HSS
	Šljivoševci		SDK
	Viljevo		SDK
Dubrovnik	Cavtat (Konavlje)		HSS
	Dubrovnik		Elections not held
	Janjina		HSS
	Kuna		HSS
	Lopud		HSS
	Mljet		HSS
	Pelješac (Orebić)		HSS
	Slano		HSS
	Ston		HSS
	Šipan		HSS
	Trpanj		HSS
	Zaton (Orašac)		HSS
Dugo Selo	Brckovljani		HSS
	Dugo Selo		HSS
	Lupoglav		HSS
	Oborovo		HSS
	Posavski Bregi		HSS
Duvno	Grabovica		HSS
	Tomislavgrad		HSS
	Vir		HSS
Đakovo	Bračevci		SDK
	Budrovci		HSS
	Drenje		HSS
	Đakovo		HSS
	Gašinci		HSS
	Gorjani		HSS
	Krndija		German ethnic list
	Levanjska Varoš		SDK
	Piškorevci		HSS
	Punitovci		HSS
	Satnica Đakovačka		HSS
	Selci Đakovački		HSS
	Semeljci		HSS
	Striživojna		HSS
	Trnava		HSS
	Viškovci		HSS
	Vrbica		HSS
	Vrpolje		HSS
	Vuka		HSS
Đurđevac	Đurđevac		HSS
	Ferdinandovac (Jelačićevo)		HSS
	Kalinovac		HSS
	Kloštar		HSS
	Molve		HSS
	Pitomača		HSS
	Podravske Sesvete		HSS
	Šemovci		HSS
	Virje		HSS
Fojnica	Brestovsko		HSS and Muslims
	Busovača		HSS
	Fojnica		HSS
	Kiseljak		HSS
	Kreševo		HSS
Garešnica	Berek		SDK
	Garešnica		SDK
	Hercegovac		HSS
	Hrastovac		German ethnic list
	Veliki Zdenci		SDK
	Vukovje		SDK
Glina	Banski Grabovac		JRZ
	Bučica		HSS
	Glina		SDK
	Jukinac		SDK
	Klasnić		JRZ
	Kraljevčani		United Serb list
	Maja		JRZ
	Mali Gradac		JRZ
	Stankovac		HSS
Gospić	Gospić		SDK
	Karlobag		HSS
	Lički Osik		HSS
	Medak		Non-partisan Serb list
	Smiljan		HSS
Gračac	Bruvno		SDK
	Gračac		SDK
	Lovinac		HSS
	Mazin		Non-partisan Serb list
	Zrmanja		JRZ
Gradačac	Gradačac		HSS
	Modriča		HSS
	Odžak		HSS
	Srnice		Muslims and SDS
	Vranjak		Non-partisan Serb list
Grubišno Polje	Grubišno Polje		SDK
	Ivanovo Selo		SDK
	Veliki Grđevac		SDK
Hvar	Bogomolje		HSS
	Hvar		HSS
	Jelsa		HSS
	Komiža		SRN
	Stari Grad		HSS
	Sućuraj		HSS
	Vis		HSS
	Vrboska		SRN
Ilok	Banoštar		SDS
	Beočin		JRZ
	Bingula		SDS
	Čerević		SDK
	Erdevik		SDK and other parties
	Ilok		HSS
	Mohovo		SDS
	Molovin		SDS
	Neštin		SDK
	Sot		HSS
	Susek		SDS
	Šarengrad		HSS
Imotski	Imotski		HSS
Ivanec	Bednja		HSS
	Cvetlin		HSS
	Ivanec		HSS
	Lepoglava		HSS
	Maruševec		HSS
	Višnjica		HSS
Jastrebarsko	Cvetković		HSS
	Gornji Desinec		HSS
	Jastrebarsko		HSS
	Kalje		HSS
	Klinča Sela		HSS
	Krašić		HSS
	Petrovina		HSS
	Sošice		HSS
	Sveta Jana		HSS
	Vivodina		HSS
Karlovac	Barilović		SDK
	Draganići		HSS
	Duga Resa		HSS
	Jaškovo		HSS
	Karlovac		Elections not held
	Netretić		HSS
	Ozalj		HSS
	Rečica		HSS
	Ribnik		HSS
	Šišljavić		HSS
Kastav	Kastav		Elections not held
Klanjec	Dubravica		HSS
	Klanjec		HSS
	Kraljevec		HSS
	Luka		HSS
	Tuhelj		HSS
	Veliko Trgovišće		HSS
	Zagorska Sela		HSS
Knin	Drniš		HSS
	Knin		Non-partisan Serb list
	Promina		HSS
Konjic	Konjic		JRZ
	Ostrožac		JRZ
Koprivnica	Drnje		HSS
	Đelekovec		HSS
	Gola		HSS
	Hlebine		HSS
	Koprivnica		Elections not held
	Koprivnički Ivanec		HSS
	Legrad		HSS
	Novigrad Podravski		SDK
	Peteranec		HSS
	Sokolovac		HSS
	Ždala		HSS
Korčula	Blato		HSS
	Korčula		HSS
	Vela Luka		HSS
Korenica	Bunić		SDK
	Korenica		Non-partisan Serb list
	Plitvička Jezera		SDK
Kostajnica	Bobovac		HSS
	Crkveni Bok		SDS
	Dubica		United Serb list
	Kostajnica		SDK
	Majur		SDK
	Mečenčani		Non-partisan Serb list
	Staza		SDK
Krapina	Đurmanec		HSS
	Krapina		HSS
	Petrovsko		HSS
	Radoboj		HSS
	Zabok		HSS
	Začretje		HSS
Križevci	Gradec		HSS
	Križevci		Elections not held
	Raven		HSS
	Sveti Ivan Žabno		SDK
	Sveti Petar Čvrstec		HSS
	Sveti Petar Orehovec		HSS
	Vojakovac		SDK
	Vrbovec		HSS
Krk	Aleksandrovo (Punat)		HSS
	Baška		HSS
	Dobrinj		HSS
	Dubašnica		HSS
	Krk		HSS
	Omišalj		HSS
	Vrbnik		HSS
Kutina	Kutina		HSS
	Ludina		HSS
	Popovača		HSS
Livno	Donje Polje		Non-partisan Serb list
	Gornje Polje		HSS
	Livno		Elections not held
	Priluka		HSS
	Šujica		HSS
Ludbreg	Ludbreg		SDK
	Mali Bukovec		HSS
	Martijanec		HSS
	Rasinja		HSS
	Vanjski Ludbreg		HSS
Ljubuški	Drinovci		HSS
	Humac		HSS
	Ljubuški		Muslim list
	Posušje		HSS
	Vitina		HSS
	Zvirovići		HSS
Makarska	Gornje Primorje (Gradac)		HSS
	Makarska		SDK
	Vrgorac		HSS
Metković	Metković		HSS
	Opuzen		HSS
Mostar	Bijelo Polje		HSS and Muslims
	Blagaj		HSS and Muslims
	Donje Brotnjo		HSS
	Drežnica		HSS
	Gornje Brotnjo		HSS
	Kočerin		HSS
	Mostar		HSS
	Mostar, grad		Elections not held
	Mostarsko Blato		HSS
	Široki Brijeg		HSS
	Žitomislić		HSS
Našice	Budimci		JRZ and Farmers
	Čačinci		HSS
	Đurđenovac		SDK
	Feričanci		SDK
	Klokočevci		SDK
	Koška		HSS
	Našice		SDK
	Obradovci (Slavonske Bare)		SDK
	Orahovica		SDK
	Podgorač		SDK
	Vanjske Našice		SDK
	Zdenci		HSS
Nova Gradiška	Cernik		SDK
	Davor		HSS
	Nova Gradiška		Elections not held
	Nova Kapela		HSS
	Orubica		HSS
	Rešetari		HSS
	Staro Petrovo Selo		HSS
	Štivica		HSS
	Vanjska Nova Gradiška		HSS
Novi	Bribir		HSS
	Ledenice		HSS
	Novi		HSS
Novi Marof	Breznički Hum		HSS
	Gornja Rijeka		HSS
	Ljubešćica		HSS
	Novi Marof		HSS
	Vanjske Varaždinske Toplice		HSS
	Varaždinske Toplice		HSS
Novska	Banova Jaruga		HSS
	Jasenovac		SDK
	Krapje		HSS
	Lipovljani		HSS
	Lonja		HSS
	Međurić		HSS
	Novska		SDK
	Vanjska Novska		SDK
Ogulin	Drežnica		SDS
	Generalski Stol		HSS
	Gomirje		Non-partisan Serb list
	Gornje Dubrave		SDS
	Josipdol		SDK
	Modruš		HSS
	Ogulin		SDK
	Oštarije		SDK
	Plaški		SDS
	Tounj		HSS
Okučani	Dragalić		HSS
	Mašić (Medari)		SDK
	Okučani		United Serb list
	Rajić		SDK
	Stara Gradiška		HSS
Osijek	Aljmaš		HSS
	Bijelo Brdo		SDS
	Čepin		HSS
	Dalj		SDK
	Erdut		HSS
	Ernestinovo		HSS
	Hrastin		SDK
	Jovanovac		HSS
	Laslovo		HSS
	Osijek		Elections not held
	Retfala		HSS
	Sarvaš		HSS
	Tenja		JRZ
Otočac	Brlog		HSS
	Dabar		SDK
	Otočac		HSS
	Sinac		HSS
	Škare		Non-partisan Serb list
	Vrhovine		Non-partisan Serb list
Pakrac	Antunovac		HSS
	Badljevina		SDK
	Bučje		SDS
	Čaglić		JRZ
	Dragović		Non-partisan Serb list
	Gaj		SDK
	Kukunjevac		SDK
	Lipik		HSS
	Pakrac		SDK
	Poljana		HSS
Perušić	Kosinj		SDK
	Pazarište		HSS
	Perušić		SDK
Petrinja	Blinja		SDK
	Gora		SDK
	Gradusa		SDS
	Hrastovica		HSS
	Jabukovac		SDK
	Mošćenica		HSS
	Petrinja		Elections not held
	Sunja		SDK
Pisarovina	Donja Kupčina		HSS
	Kupinec		HSS
	Lasinja		SDS and other Serb parties
	Pisarovina		HSS
	Pokupsko		HSS
Požega	Bekteže		SDK
	Jakšić		SDK
	Kaptol		HSS
	Kutjevo		HSS
	Mihaljevci		HSS
	Pleternica		HSS
	Požega		Elections not held
	Požeški Brestovac		SDK
	Ruševo		SDK
	Stražeman		SDK
	Vanjska Požega		SDK
	Velika		HSS
	Vilić-Selo		SDK
Pregrada	Desinić		HSS
	Hum na Sutli		HSS
	Krapinske Toplice		HSS
	Pregrada		HSS
Preko	Božava		HSS
	Preko		HSS
	Sali		HSS
	Silba		HSS
	Veli Iž		HSS
Prelog	Dekanovec		HSS
	Donja Dubrava		HSS
	Donji Kraljevec		HSS
	Donji Vidovec		HSS
	Draškovec		HSS
	Goričan		HSS
	Hodošan		HSS
	Kotoriba		HSS
	Mala Subotica		HSS
	Prelog		HSS
	Sveta Marija na Muri		HSS
	Sveti Juraj u Trnju		HSS
Prozor	Gornja Rama		HSS
	Prozor		HSS
Rab	Novalja		HSS
	Pag		HSS
	Rab		HSS
Samobor	Podvrh		HSS
	Samobor		HSS
	Sveta Nedelja		HSS
	Sveti Martin pod Okićem		HSS
Senj	Jablanac		HSS
	Krivi Put		HSS
	Senj		Elections not held
	Sveti Juraj		HSS
Sinj	Sinj		SRN
	Trilj		HSS
	Vrlika		SDK
Sisak	Gušće		HSS
	Kratečko		HSS
	Lekenik		HSS
	Letovanić		HSS
	Martinska Ves		HSS
	Palanjek		HSS
	Sela		HSS
	Sisak		Elections not held
	Topolovac		HSS
Slatina	Čeralije		SDK
	Gornji Miholjac		SDK
	Nova Bukovica		SDK
	Podravska Slatina		SDK
	Slatinski Drenovac		SDS
	Sopje		SDK
	Voćin		SDK
Slunj	Cetingrad		SDK
	Drežnik		SDK
	Primišlje		SDS
	Rakovica		Non-partisan Serb list
	Slunj		HSS
	Veljun		Non-partisan Serb list
Split	Donja Kaštela		HSS
	Kaštel Lukšić		HSS
	Kaštel Sućurac		HSS
	Klis		HSS
	Krajina (Šestanovac)		HSS
	Lećevica		HSS
	Muć		HSS
	Omiš		HSS
	Poljica		HSS
	Split		Elections not held
	Šolta		HSS
	Trogir		LSRS
Stolac	Aladinići		HSS and Muslims
	Berkovići		Non-partisan Serb list
	Burmazi		HSS
	Čapljina		HSS
	Hutovo		HSS
	Stolac		HSS and Muslims
Sušak	Bakar		Elections not held
	Cernik-Čavle		Elections not held
	Dol-Bakarac		Elections not held
	Grobnik		Elections not held
	Hreljin		Elections not held
	Jelenje		Elections not held
	Kraljevica		Elections not held
	Krasica		Elections not held
	Sušak		Elections not held
Sveti Ivan Zelina	Donja Zelina		HSS
	Kašina		HSS
	Moravče Belovar		HSS
	Sveti Ivan Zelina		HSS
	Vanjski Sveti Ivan Zelina		HSS
Šibenik	Skradin		Elections not held
	Šibenik		Elections not held
	Tijesno		Elections not held
	Vodice		Elections not held
	Zlarin		Elections not held
Šid	Adaševci		JRZ
	Bačinci		SDK
	Bapska Novak		HSS
	Batrovci		JRZ
	Berkasovo		JRZ
	Gibarac		HSS
	Ilača		HSS
	Ilinci		JRZ
	Jamena		JRZ
	Kukujevci		HSS
	Lipovac		HSS
	Mala Vašica		JRZ
	Morović		JRZ
	Strošinci		HSS
	Šid		United Serb list
	Šidski Banovci		German ethnic list
	Tovarnik		HSS
Travnik	Bila		HSS
	Bučići		HSS
	Travnik		Elections not held
	Turbe		HSS
	Vitez		HSS
Udbina	Podlapac		SDK
	Udbina		Non-partisan Serb list
Valpovo	Belišće		HSS
	Bizovac		HSS
	Brođanci		HSS
	Ladimirevci		HSS
	Petrijevci		HSS
	Valpovo		HSS
	Vanjsko Valpovo		HSS
Varaždin	Bartolovec		HSS
	Biškupec		HSS
	Jalžabet		HSS
	Križovljan Cestica		HSS
	Petrijanec		HSS
	Varaždin		Elections not held
	Vidovec		HSS
	Vinica		HSS
Velika Gorica	Dubranec		HSS
	Kravarsko		HSS
	Novo Čiče		HSS
	Odra		HSS
	Orle		HSS
	Velika Gorica		HSS
	Vukovina		HSS
Vinkovci	Andrijaševci		HSS
	Cerna		HSS
	Donje Novo Selo		HSS
	Ivankovo		HSS
	Jarmina		List of ethnic minorities
	Komletinci		HSS
	Laze		Farmers
	Mirkovci		Non-partisan Serb list
	Nijemci		HSS
	Novi Jankovci		Non-partisan Serb list
	Novo Selo		German ethnic list
	Orolik		HSS and Germans
	Otok		HSS
	Privlaka		HSS
	Retkovci		HSS
	Slakovci		HSS
	Stari Jankovci		List of ethnic minorities
	Stari Mikanovci		HSS
	Vinkovci		Elections not held
	Vođinci		HSS
Virovitica	Cabuna		SDK
	Gradina		SDK
	Lukač		SDK
	Pivnica		SDK
	Suhopolje		SDK
	Špišić Bukovica		HSS
	Virovitica		Elections not held
Vojnić	Krnjak		JRZ
	Krstinja		SDS
	Perjasica		SDS
	Tušilović		JRZ
	Vojnić		SDS
	Vukmanić		SDK
Vrbovsko	Bosiljevo		HSS
	Ravna Gora		HSS
	Severin na Kupi		HSS
	Srpske Moravice		SDS
	Vrbovsko		HSS
Vrginmost	Bović		Non-partisan Serb list
	Čemernica		SDS
	Topusko		SDK
	Vrginmost		JRZ
Vukovar	Antin		HSS
	Berak		HSS
	Bobota		SDS
	Bogdanovci		HSS
	Borovo		Non-partisan Serb list
	Bršadin		JRZ
	Cerić		HSS
	Čakovci		SDK
	Gaboš		United Serb list
	Korog		SDK
	Lovas		HSS
	Marinci		United Serb list
	Markušica		SDS
	Mikluševci		SDK
	Negoslavci		SDS
	Nuštar		HSS
	Opatovac		HSS
	Ostrovo		Non-partisan Serb list
	Pačetin		SDS
	Petrovci		SDS
	Sotin		HSS
	Svinjarevci		HSS
	Tompojevci		HSS
	Tordinci		HSS
	Trpinja		SDS
	Vera		SDS
	Vukovar		Elections not held
Zagreb	Brdovec		HSS
	Brezovica		HSS
	Gračani (Remete)		HSS
	Kustošija		HSS
	Markuševec		HSS
	Pušća		HSS
	Sesvete		HSS
	Stenjevec		HSS
	Stupnik		HSS
	Sveta Klara		HSS
	Šestine		HSS
	Vrapče		HSS
	Zagreb		Elections not held
	Zaprešić		HSS
Zlatar	Bedekovčina		HSS
	Budinšćina		HSS
	Hrašćina Trgovišće		HSS
	Lobor		HSS
	Mače		HSS
	Mihovljan		HSS
	Zlatar		HSS
Županja	Babina Greda		HSS
	Bošnjaci		HSS
	Drenovci		HSS
	Gradište		HSS
	Gundinci		HSS
	Gunja		HSS
	Posavski Podgajci		HSS
	Račinovci		HSS
	Rajevo Selo		HSS
	Sikirevci		HSS
	Soljani		HSS
	Šamac		HSS
	Štitar		HSS
	Vrbanja		HSS
	Županja		HSS
Sources: [41][36][37][38][42][43][44][45][46]

Aftermath

Elected municipal council members met after the elections to constitute the council and elect the municipality mayor among themselves. Communist council members in Trogir and Vis refused to take an oath of loyalty to the king and consequently had their mandates made void.^[47] According to Jakovčev, 60 municipalities in Dalmatia alone protested due to forgeries and irregularities.^[11] In Vrboska, one of the few municipalities that were won by communists, elections were declared void by the government and then repeated on July 28.^[33] Busing in voters from Dol and elsewhere and intimidating the communists, HSS managed to secure the majority.^[21] Workers' list with Pero Nagulic on the ticket lost to the HSS list headed by Mihovil Stojsic.^[48]

In Knin, where the Serb nationalist non-partisan list under dr. Niko Novaković got 27 out of 36 councilmen, Croatian government dissolved the Knin town council and appointed secretary of the local HSS, Vice Musić, as the mayor.^[49]

In Bobota, all municipal councilmen elected on non-partisan Serb list decided to join SDS, disappointed by the election results in eastern Slavonia.^[22]

Maček declared the elections as a "90% victory for the pro-agreement parties", emphasizing that "the SDS won the majority among Croatian Serbs". He touted the results as a "lesson" for anti-agreement parties.^[40] Shortly after the elections, having in mind the incidents that occurred, ban Šubašić indefinitely banned all public gatherings, rallies or protests except for religious events.^[45]

Footnotes

References

Books and journals

News articles

Literature

• Konjević, Mile (1973). "Općinski izbori u Banovini Hrvatskoj 19. maja 1940. godine", Prilozi Instituta za istoriju Sarajevo 9(1)
• Miličević, Tomislav (2014). "Dr. Juraj Krnjević: političko djelovanje od 1929. do 1941". darhiv.ffzg.unizg.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2019-03-18.
• Boban, Ljubo. "Previranja na selu u Banovini Hrvatskoj", Istorija XX veka, II., Beograd, 1961.
• Kolar-Dimitrijević, Mira (1976). "Utjecaj fašizma na ekonomsko-socijalnu politiku Hrvatske do travnja 1941. godine", Zbornik fašizam i neofašizam, CDD, Zagreb, 221.-233.
• Jelić-Butić, Fikreta. Prilog proučavanju djelatnosti ustaša do 1941. godine
• IŠEK, Tomislav (1991.). Hrvatska seljačka stranka u Bosni i Hercegovini 1929. -1941., Sarajevo: Institut za istoriju, 1991.
• Boban, Ljubo (1974) Maček i politika HSS-a od 1928. do 1941., Zagreb, Liber, knjiga I. II.