Ex-PM, mayoral candidate Gakharia: 'these are elections between the past and the future'.
Gakharia called on the public to participate in the elections 'because these are not just municipal elections, these are renewal elections, and we have all seen where a one-man government can take us'. Photo: IPN.
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Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who now leads the opposition For Georgia party, has cast his ballot in today’s municipal elections and said that 'these are elections between the past and the future'.
It is obvious today, especially after the last month, that the Georgian citizens are choosing between the past and the future, between renewal and the past. These two forces, in addition to feeding each other, have been dragging us into the past for years, so I am confident that every Georgian citizen will make the wise and heartfelt choice for the future", Gakharia said.
He called on the public to participate in the elections 'because these are not just municipal elections, these are renewal elections, and we have all seen where a one-man government can take us'.
In total 43 political parties have been registered for the October 2 elections.
A total of 3,743 polling stations have been established in 73 election constituencies (including nine polling stations in prisons and 70 special polling stations for the individuals who are in self-isolation because of coronavirus).
21,483 representatives from parties, 31,310 observers from 100 local organisations and 1,024 foreign observers from 52 international organisations will monitor the race.
2,927 representatives of 109 media outlets have been registered to cover the race.
3,497,345 individuals are eligible to vote in the elections.
Voters will today elect 2,068 members of 64 city councils and 64 mayors.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party head Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that ‘provocations are expected from the radical opposition’ on election day today and urged party supporters to stay calm and ‘not to respond to any provocation.’
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has dismissed reports by the Civic Election Commission movement that Kutaisi district election commission forgot to send election registrators’ seals to polling stations.
Joint opposition candidate for head of Tbilisi City Assembly, founder of the Droa opposition party, Elene Khoshtaria has cast her ballot in today’s municipal elections and said that the country’s fate is in the hands of voters.
Georgia is holding municipal elections today. Voters will elect 2,068 members of 64 city assemblies and 64 mayors.They will receive three different ballot papers at the polling station.43 political parties have been registered for the October 2 elections.A total of 3,743 polling stations have been established in 73 election constituencies (including nine polling stations in prisons and 70 special polling stations for the individuals who are in self-isolation because of coronavirus).
A total of 259,273 voters (7.41 per cent of eligible voters) have cast their ballots in the Georgian municipal elections as of 10 a.m. today. Georgia’s Central Election Commission says that the most active constituency is currently Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti where 11.2 per cent of registered voters have cast their vote.
“I have voted for the peaceful and stable development of our country”, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said after casting his ballot in today’s municipal elections. PM Garibashvili said the Georgian population needs to overcome poverty, have more jobs, welfare and unity.
Opposition political party For Georgia founded by the former PM Giorgi Gakharia has declared that it does not trust the results of exit polls commissioned by various TV channels which granted the third place to the party. For Georgia’s representative Ana Buchukuri has stated that the ‘results are not credible enough,’ noting that such results may be due to ‘political bias’ and intimidation of voters.