Field analyses: Monitoring the Local elections Outdoor political advertisement (Billboards)
This report is prepared within the framework of the “Mapping Political Billboards 2025” initiative, implemented by IMPETUS – Center for Internet, Development and Good Governance (further in the text IMPETUS). The initiative combines systematic monitoring and digital mapping to document the use and distribution of political billboard advertising during the 2025 local election campaign in North Macedonia. The monitoring effort aims to increase transparency in election campaigning by identifying where political advertisements are placed, which actors are using outdoor advertising, and how visible campaign messages are distributed across different municipalities and public spaces.
The monitoring and mapping activities are conducted within the broader legal framework regulating political outdoor advertising, primarily defined by Article 78-a of the Electoral Code of the Republic of North Macedonia. This provision regulates the allocation and use of advertising panels and billboards during election campaigns, including limits on the share of advertising infrastructure that may be used for political promotion, procedures for allocating advertising locations, and reporting obligations for advertising companies and campaign participants.
It should be noted that Billboards represent one of the most visible forms of outdoor political advertising, typically positioned along major roads, intersections, and high-traffic urban areas, attracting the attention of both drivers and pedestrians. Although primarily used for commercial advertising, these structures are also widely utilized during election campaigns for political promotion. During election periods, these visual messages play a significant role in shaping voter perception, increasing candidate visibility, and reinforcing campaign narratives across urban and rural environments.
Also, the placement and leasing of billboard advertising locations are regulated through procedures established by municipalities and the City of Skopje. These locations are typically allocated to concessionaires or marketing agencies, which manage the advertising infrastructure and generate revenue by leasing advertising space to clients, including political actors during election periods.
Prior to the start of the election campaign, marketing agencies submit location and pricing packages to the State Election Commission (SEC). In accordance with Article 78-a of the Electoral Code, the maximum number of billboards that may be used for political advertising cannot exceed 50% of the total number of billboards available within a municipality or the territory managed by a specific concessionaire. The SEC allocates these advertising packages to electoral participants through a lottery system, ensuring formal equality among political actors. The Electoral Code further determines the percentage of billboards that each candidate, political party, or coalition may use. In cases where some participants do not utilize their full allocated share, the remaining advertising space may be leased by other electoral participants.
As part of the monitoring and mapping efforts for the 2025 local elections, IMPETUS developed an interactive online platform (https://political-billboards.mk/) that enables users to explore billboard locations and related campaign information through a searchable, visual interface. The platform combines geo-mapping, field monitoring, and analysis of the legal and institutional framework, providing an evidence-based overview of how outdoor political advertising was used during the campaign. It also allows for comparative analysis with previous election cycles, offering insights into trends and developments over time and contributing to a clearer understanding of the scale, geographic distribution, and transparency of billboard advertising in the 2025 local elections.
Building on previous monitoring conducted in 2020 and 2021, the efforts conducted in 2025were focused on the October 2025 local elections in North Macedonia, examining the use of billboard advertising throughout the campaign. The monitoring activities included assessing the location, visibility, and content of billboards, as well as compliance with the legal framework, particularly Article 78-a of the Electoral Code governing outdoor political advertising.
Through systematic monitoring and analysis, these efforts aimed to enhance transparency in political campaigning, provide evidence-based insights for policymakers and oversight institutions, and inform future improvements to the regulatory framework governing election advertising in North Macedonia.
About IMPETUS- Since 2020, the IMPETUS has been actively monitoring political advertising during election campaigns in North Macedonia, with a particular focus on outdoor advertising through billboards. During the parliamentary elections held in 2020, IMPETUS developed an interactive online map and analytical overview of political billboard advertising, which was published on the official project website. The findings stemming from 2020 efforts were bases for the IMPETUS to submit a set of recommendations and proposals to the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption (SCPC), advocating for clearer and more precise regulation of outdoor political advertising within the electoral legislation.
