Election Day: shortcomings in voting process collected by observing NGOs

Organisations observing the presidential elections have presented a list of violations that have been reported so far at polling stations.

22,032 observers from 73 local NGOs and 1163 observers from 58 international organisation are monitoring the voting process for the presidential elections in Georgia.

Transparency International Georgia has reported that the elections are being held in a ‘largely peaceful’ environment, however observers from the organisation have reported up to 50 insignificant and relatively serious violations and filed four complaints.

Some of the serious violations identified by TI Georgia are alleged fixing of the elections, alleged vote buying, more than the allowed number of observers from the same organisation being present in the same polling stations, refusing entry to some observers and incorrect stamp use by individuals responsible for registering voters on the list and distribution ballots. Also, in several polling stations in Tbilisi and Batumi, members of the district election commissions appointed by the United National Movement have refused to participate in the casting of lots for determining who would be responsible for the portable ballot box.

“In polling station No. 94 of Zugdidi district No. 67, our observer saw how a commission member responsible for the voting box threw in several envelopes into the box. After expressing concerns about this incident, our observer was taken outside by the commission chair and a representative of Salome Zurabishvili and asked not to report this incident. They also promised that this issue would not occur again...we call upon the prosecutor’s office to take notice of this case and respond appropriately,” TI Georgia said.

TI Georgia has deployed 350 observers to monitor the October 28 presidential elections in Georgia.

The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) on the other hand, expressed its concerns about the mobilisation of so called ‘coordinators’ from different political parties near the precincts.

“The so-called coordinators meet the voters before they enter the precincts and record their names on lists,” head of the ISFED, Mikheil Benidze, said at a briefing.

The organisation has also reported several other cases in which its observers were prevented from entering polling stations, as well as one attempt of pressuring an observer.

ISFED has filed up to 30 complaints so far.

The Human Rights Center (HRC) has also reported several cases of agitation by ruling party activists in precincts in Gori. The organisation has called on the district election commission to fix the shortcomings noted by the observers.