CEC sets coronavirus-related safety guidelines for Election Day

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has set safety guidelines for the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 31 following consultations with political parties and monitoring organisations.

Health of voters and other participants of the electoral process is the main priority for the CEC. For this reason, a special working group was created at the initiative of the CEC", the CEC announced yesterday.

The group is composed of representatives from election administration, political parties, the civic sector, and international organisations”, it added.

Precinct election commission (PEC) members will go through thermal screening, use hand sanitizers and wear face masks before entering the polling station. PEC members will be additionally equipped with face shields and disposable hand gloves. 

Disinfectant barriers and hand sanitizers, as well as information about preventive measures against the spread of the virus will be placed at the entrance of polling premises, the CEC said.

• Voters will not go through thermal screening but are obliged to wear face masks. However, those who will not have face masks will receive one upon entrance to the polling station;
• Voters will be required to remove face masks for identification, otherwise they will not be provided with ballot paper(s);
• Voters will be provided with individual pens as well, which they should later place in a special container before leaving the polling station.

Georgia will hold it upcoming parliamentary elections in a different manner – 120 seats in parliament will be distributed based on the votes received in proportional elections, while remaining 30 per the votes received in majoritarian elections.

Previously 77 seats in its 150-member parliament were allocated proportionally, under the party-list system, while the remaining 73 MPs were  elected in 73 single-mandate constituencies. 

On election day Georgian citizens will elect mayors in five municipalities and City Council (Sakrebulo) MPs in four municipalities as well.