Elections 2020: ISFED releases results of parallel vote count
ISFED says that Georgia’s Central Election Commission must recount votes in eight election districts. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) NGO has released the results of parallel vote tabulation (PVT) which says that the ruling Georgian Dream party received 45.8% of the vote, while the United Opposition bloc (with the United National Movement) received 26.4% of the vote.
European Georgia received 3.7% of the vote in the parallel vote count.
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PVT is an election observation methodology that is typically based on a representative random sample of polling stations. The goal of the methodology is to independently verify the election results.
The PVT results by ISFED are as follows.
- Georgian Dream - 45.8% (margin of error - 0.7%)
- United Opposition election bloc, including United National Movement - 26.4% (margin of error - 0.6%)
- European Georgia - 3.7% (margin of error - 0.2%)
- Alliance of Patriots - 3.1% (margin of error - 0.1%)
- Lelo for Georgia - 3.1% (margin of error - 0.2%)
- Strategy Builder - 3% (margin of error - 0.1 %)
- Girchi - 2.8 % (margin of error - 0.2%)
- Elisashvili Citizens - 1.3% (margin of error - 0.1%)
- Labour Party - 1% (margin of error 0.1%)
- United Georgia - 0.9% (margin of error 0.1%)
The ISFED says that in eight per cent of polling stations, ballot papers outnumber the voters’ signatures on the lists ‘which is a serious violation.’
The CEC must recount votes in the election districts,” the ISFED said, noting that voter turnout was 56.7 % (+/- 0.6 %).
Meanwhile, the Central Election Commission of Georgia has counted 96.85% of votes.
The results released by the CEC are as follows:
- Georgian Dream - 48.12%
- United National Movement - United Opposition election bloc - 26.92%
- European Georgia - 3.79%
- Lelo for Georgia - 3.19%
- Alliance of Patriots - 3.18%
- Strategy Builder - 3.15%
- Girchi - 2.95%
- Aleko Elisashvili Citizens - 1.34%
- Labour party - 1%
For the first time, the elections were held per a mixed electoral system, with 120 members of parliament (MP) to be elected via party lists and the remaining 30 running in single-member majoritarian districts.
An election bloc or party which receives less than 40.54 per cent of votes 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.
Local NGO Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) says the analysis of 170 election-related violations and 46 complaints ‘makes it clear that the Georgian parliamentary elections were a step back compared with the 2016 parliamentary elections’.
The ruling Georgian Dream party expects to take at least 92 seats in the 150-member parliament after the second round of majoritarian elections in 14 of 30 majoritarian constituencies in Tbilisi and regions which is likely to take place on November 21.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has counted votes in 3,007 election districts of the total 3,847. According to the preliminary data nine parties will enter the parliament after overcoming the 1% election threshold. According to the preliminary results, Georgian Dream candidates are winning the majoritarian race in the first round of elections in 16 of 30 majoritarian constituencies, while a second round of elections is expected to take place in 14 constituencies, including in all eight constituencies in Tbilisi.
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.
The Central Election Commission of Georgia should recount votes in eight per cent of polling stations where there were more ballots than registered voters, says the chief executive director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Elene Nizharadze.
Opposition parties which surpassed the one percent election threshold in Saturday’s parliamentary elections in Georgia or nearly did so say they will not take up their mandates in parliament and instead will take to the streets and call for repeat elections. Leaders of the United National Movement, European Georgia, Lelo for Georgia, Strategy Aghmashenebeli and the United Georgia-Democratic Movement opposition parties have accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of vote buying and threatening voters.
The United States Embassy in Georgia has welcomed the recent "competitive" parliamentary elections in the country and applauded citizens for their turnout against the backdrop of the pandemic, while also pointing out "deficiencies" in the process that require resolution by the authorities.
The Georgian Central Election Commission has responded to a report that in eight per cent of polling stations, ballot papers outnumbered voters’ signatures on the list.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has adjusted its results of parallel vote tabulation (PVT) based on which the ruling Georgian Dream ruling party receives 47.6% of votes instead of 45.8%, while the opposition United National Movement/Strength in Unity election bloc receives 27.4% of votes instead of 26.4% in the October 31 parliamentary elections.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) NGO says that there was an imbalance between ballots cast and signatures of registered votes in eight per cent of election districts on the parliamentary election day in Georgia, on October 31, 2020.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) is concerned about the ruling Georgian Dream’s discrediting campaign against the organisation’s election monitors, reads an official statement of the ISFED.