New Delhi, Oct. 23 -- Djordjic, who holds dual Canadian-Serbian citizenship, was told that her polling station had moved to Toronto, 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) away, and would open at 2 a.m. to match polls opening in the Serbian time zone, where it's 8 a.m.

The decision by the Serbian election authorities meant that she and hundreds of other Serbs in Vancouver would have to take a 4.5-hour flight and possibly line up in the middle of the night to vote. Thousands of Serb expatriates in the United States, Australia and New Zealand face the same problem. Some 100,000 people have registered to vote abroad this year, up from 39,000 in 2023.

Critics say it's a deliberate move to discourage voters abroad, who may be less supportive of popu...