Polling stations closed, over 1.9 million voters cast ballots by 8 p.m.
Voter turnout stood at 56.11 per cent, while during the previous elections held in 2016 voter turnout by the same time was 51.63 per cent (1,814,276 voters). Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Polling stations closed in Georgia at 20:00, by which time 1,970,540 Georgian voters had cast their ballots in the Georgian parliamentary elections, says the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia.
Voter turnout stood at 56.11 per cent, while during the previous elections held in 2016 voter turnout by the same time was 51.63 per cent (1,814,276 voters).
The CEC says the most active polling station was in Racha-Lechkhumi and Svaneti , where 63,8 per cent of registered voters had cast their vote by 20:00.
The least number of voters (51%) was registered in the Kvemo Kartli region.
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The CEC says that the 127 polling stations specially created for coronavirus patients who are being treated in hospitals or are in isolation are also closed and all 311 ballot boxes have been returned to the polling stations by 21 p.m.
The joint observation mission, composed of the International Organization for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange, its international observers, and the Center for Development, says the voting process is taking place in a mostly calm and organised environment, although minor procedural irregularities have been reported.
However, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has started an investigation into nine incidents that were observed during the parliamentary elections today, announced Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Kakha Sabanadze.
Click here to read what incidents were reported during today's parliamentary elections in Georgia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that it has won the elections as all exit polls released by four different TV channels have put their vote count between 41-55 %.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has started an investigation into nine incidents that were observed during the parliamentary elections today, announced Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Kakha Sabanadze. He said that in total 10 individuals were arrested in relation to seven cases of administrative violations.
Exit polls commissioned by Mtavari Arkhi, Formula TV and Rustavi 2 say the ruling Georgian Dream party received between 41-53% in the proportional part of the elections. An election bloc or party which receives less than 40.54 per cent of votes (less then 76 seats in the 150-member parliament) in the proportional elections will not be able to form a government. Unlike previous elections, the parties which will receive at least one per cent of total votes will be allowed into parliament.
Opposition parties in Georgia claim that the ruling Georgian Dream party has lost the parliamentary elections. Giga Bokeria of the European Georgia said one hour before the end of the elections that 'according to all our data the Ivanishvili regime has been defeated'.
Rustavi 2 TV commissioned exit poll results show that as of 8 p.m. the ruling Georgian Dream party received 51.36% of support in the proportional part of the elections, followed by the opposition United National Movement with 25.38%
Mtavari Arkhi TV has released separate results of its exit polls carried out by IPSOS. It says in all constituencies except from Gldani, predicting the runoff between the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition candidates in the majoritarian part of the elections.
Election commissions across Georgia have received 289 complaints about polling violations, the Central Election Commission said following the closure of stations, with most of the formal objections relating to "procedural" issues.
The Central Election Commission will announce the first official results of the parliamentary elections five to seven hours after polling stations close across the country, the body has announced. A briefing for the media at the CEC said the initial data would be made available after "all procedures" related to counting bulletins of the polling. Election body spokesperson Ana Mikeladze said practice showed between five and seven hours required for the initial count.