Georgia’s Government officials vote in today’s municipal election

Georgian authorities are calling on citizens to go to their local election station and vote in today’s municipal elections.

Many of the country’s officials have cast their ballots and are encouraging high voter turnout and a peaceful election process.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili was one of the country’s first voters. He made his choice at 8am at Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda N6 district polling station. President visited the voting station alone and called on people to vote actively. Photo by President’s Press Office.

When Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili voted about 12pm today he said he voted for "the future, progress, development and stability of Georgia”.

I am convinced that the upcoming #election will be held in line with the highest standards. http://t.co/IbI95PPDeU#Georgia#Gvote

— Irakli Garibashvili (@PrimeMinisterGE) June 14, 2014

After Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili cast his vote, he told journalists he believed Georgia was ready for free, democratic and fair elections.

"This election will be another step forward for the benefit of our country, villages, towns and regions. Up to 16,000 people are involved in the election marathon and it sure it is accompanied by some tension,” Usupashvili said.

"I believe voters will make their choices in a free environment and by the end of the day Georgian citizens will know the preliminary result of the elections. This will be the multi-partial city councils and the Mayors and Gamgebelis (heads of local municipalities) will be elected by the majority of the population.”

For the first time in Georgia’s history, seventy one local

Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili at the polling station; Photo by IPN;

self-government bodies - Sakrebulos (elected representative local councils) and 2,088 members of Sakrebulo, 12 city Mayors and 59 heads of local municipalities – Gamgebelis – will be directly elected by voters.

It was the third election in recent years when Defence Minister Irakli Alasania casted his ballot in Zugdidi, a western city which for the first time will directly elect the Mayor.

Alasania had his say at the N30 polling station opened in Zugdidi N10 Public School. Photo by mod.gov.ge

Speaking with journalists after casting his vote, Alasania said he was very proud to represent the Governmental coalition which had passed some power from central Government to local authorities.

"This is a historical decision as democracy has been transferring to the regions. Regions, including my town, Zugdidi, will have more ability to take responsibility governing it,” Alasania said.

Twelve self-governed cities of Georgia will elect Mayors directly for the first time, according to changes to the Election Code. Previously only the Mayor of Tbilisi was chosen this way.

As the various Government representatives cast their vote, they were each asked if they thought the elections may extend into second round of voting.

Garibashvili said it would not be a tragedy if a second round of voting was needed, while Usupashvili responded neutrally and said the law was in place to allow voting to extend into a second round if it was necessary.

"There is only a few hours left before election polls close and only voters will decide if there will be a second round or not. It’s not an issue and we must not speculate about this,” Usupashvili said. The Ministry of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Tchikaidze arrived at polling station N42 in Nadzaladevi, Tbilisi. Photo by Tchikaidze’s Facebook page.

A second round of voting will be needed if Mayoral candidates do not reach the 50 percent threshold. The minimum threshold for Gamgebelis in the first round is also 50 percent.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani went to polling station N56 in Digomi village, in Tbilisi, to cast her vote.

She believed the updated voters’ lists, which saw photographs added beside voters’ names, would prevent voters stealing another persons’ identity and vote unlawfully.

Tsulukiani who is also the chair of the Inter-Agency Commission – a special department of the Ministry of Justice dedicated to ensuring free and fair elections - said the Commission would make an emergency intervention in today’s elections if needed.

"I believe Commission intervention will not be necessary as the elections administration is running the elections effectively,” Tsulukiani said.

She was confident that in the history of Georgia’s independence, the country had never had such "a precise list as it was”.

Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri appeared at a voting station accompanied by his wife and children.

Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri with his family at the polling station; Photo by Facebook page of Finance Ministry.

"Georgian citizens, as well as me, have made the right choice,” Khaduri told journalists after he voted.

Vice Prime Minister and Ministry of Energy Kakha Kaladze visited a voting station with his eldest son.

Kakha Kaladze with his son is waiting for registration on the election list. Photo by the Facebook page of Kakha Kaladze.

"Georgia has managed to establish a normal, civilized form of elections, without the use of state resources, persecution and harassment, violence and intimidation, without any dead souls and to prevent the duplicating voting,” Kaladze said.

Meanwhile Corrections Minister Sozar Subari arrived at polling station N12 in Saburtalo, Tbilisi at 12pm.

Sozar Subari was accompanied by his wife and two children at the polling station. Photo by netgazeti.ge

In remarks with journalists after casting his ballot paper, Subari said the 2014 local elections was a date of change and the beginning process of eliminating the United Nations Movement, an opposition party.

Exit polls will reveal preliminary results at 8pm today.