Georgian Election Commission Chair details deadlines, procedures for voters ahead of general elections

Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, on Thursday outlined deadlines and procedures for voters across the country ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 26. 

In an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, the official detailed several important deadlines and instructions voters must follow to ensure their participation.

Voters have until October 8 to contact the election administration, the Public Service Development Agency, or other relevant authorities to correct any inaccuracies found in the nationwide voter list, he said. 

The CEC Chair further stressed the deadline of Saturday for individuals who have been removed from their registration address, had their address declared invalid by the agency, or do not have an address. 

The individuals must apply by this date to be included in the unified voter list based on their current place of residence. If they fail to do so, their last recorded address in the agency’s database will be recognised as their electoral address.

Kalandarishvili urged voters to check the validity of their documents, including passports and electronic ID cards, ahead of election day.

He also addressed concerns about potential discrepancies in the voter list, such as discovery of unknown individuals registered at the same address. The official reassured the public that an audit conducted by an American company had confirmed it was “impossible for a person to be registered twice or more in the unified voter list”.

In response to questions over voting in different cities, Kalandarishvili clarified that voters must cast their ballots at the address where they are registered. 

He explained that, barring exceptional circumstances such as the absence of an address or removal from a registration address, voters cannot participate based on their actual place of residence unless they complete proper registration procedures in advance. This registration is necessary for the Service Agency to provide updated information to the CEC within deadlines.

Kalandarishvili highlighted the voters should not be disadvantaged due to a lack of an address, saying they “should have the opportunity to participate in the election and express their will”.

However, he noted that if a person does not own property and is temporarily residing at a certain address, they must complete the registration process by Saturday. Otherwise, for electoral purposes, they will be temporarily registered at their last recorded address in the Service Agency’s database.

Pointing to the total number of eligible voters, Kalandarishvili said the exact figure was still being processed but added the most recent estimate placed the number at approximately 3.4 million.