Exit polls: ruling party receives between 38 - 47 % in proportional municipal elections

Exit polls commissioned by Imedi TV and the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi and Formula TV channels as of 6 p.m. say that the ruling Georgian Dream party received between 47-38% in municipal proportional elections.

The exit poll results are as follows: 

Gorbi exit polls commissioned by Imedi TV: 

• Georgian Dream ruling party - 47.6%.
• United National Movement opposition party - 27.1%. 
• Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party - 6.8%. 

Ipsos exit polls commissioned by opposition-minded Mtavari Arkh were as follows: 

• Georgian Dream ruling party - 38.6%.
• United National Movement opposition party - 33.0%. 
• Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party - 7.6%. 

Edison Research polls commissioned by Formula TV: 

• Georgian Dream - 46%.
• UNM - 31%.
• For Georgia - 4%.

Today Georgians have cast their ballots to elect 2,068 members of 64 city assemblies and 64 mayors.

Municipal elections are held in Georgia per a mixed electoral system.

Voters have to fill three ballot papers: the first ballot paper is for mayoral candidates (which are elected per a 50+1 system. The winner is the candidate who will receive at least 51 per cent of votes, otherwise a second round of elections will be held).

The second ballot paper is for majoritarian candidates in city assemblies (The winner must receive more than 40 per cent of votes in the first round of  elections to win the race, otherwise a second round of elections will be held).

The third ballot paper is for parties - they will need at least 2,5 per cent of votes to receive seats in Tbilisi City Assembly and 3 per cent in other city assemblies across the country. 

According to recent changes to the electoral code, 40 members in the 50-member Tbilisi City Assembly are elected per the proportional electoral system, while the remaining 10 per the majoritarian electoral system (previously the share stood at 25/25).