Central Election Commission explains why release of municipal elections’ preliminary results requires more time than usual
The vote count has begun today at 20 p.m. after the voting process finished and the summary papers from various constituencies of Georgia are being gradually uploaded on the dedicated website. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Municipal elections unlike other elections have majoritarian, proportional and mayoral ballots counting of which requires more time, moreover, overall 43 political parties are registered for this year’s elections which is twice as many as in previous years, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has explained.
Referring to the counting, spokesperson of the CEC Natia Ioseliani stated that ‘everything is being done in full compliance with the law.’
In general, the experience of the past years shows that the optimal time for announcing the preliminary data of the municipal elections is seven to eight hours after the closing of the polling stations,” Ioseliani said.
She also described the counting process and stated that 68 registered initiative groups in the district election commissions additionally require more time for summarising results.
Summary papers should go from the precinct election commission to the district election commission. Once the precinct election commission has drawn up summary protocols and these summary papers are delivered to the CEC, they will be checked and then uploaded to our website immediately,’ stated Ioseliani.
The online broadcast of the counting process is available via the CEC Facebook page, Youtube and official website.
The vote count has begun today at 20 p.m. after the voting process finished and the summary papers from various constituencies of Georgia are being gradually uploaded on the dedicated website.
Head of the CEC Giorgi Kalandarishvili has stated earlier today that the election day has ‘passed in a calm, safe environment and in full compliance with Covid-19 regulations.’
During the day, 366 complaints were lodged with the district election commissions regarding the voting process. Most of them are mainly related to procedural shortcomings and require disciplinary action against members of the commission,” Kalandarishvili stated.
Overall 1,815,767 voters participated in the local self-government elections today.
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).
A total of 1,815,776 people (51.92 per cent of eligible voters) have cast ballots in the municipal elections as of 8 p.m. today. The Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairperson Giorgi Kalandarishvili thanked everyone for their participation in the elections.
Imedi TV, opposition-minded Formula and Mtavari TV channels have released their commissioned exit poll results in today’s municipal elections as of 6 p.m. The exit poll results are as follows: Gorbi exit polls commissioned by Imedi TV for Tbilisi mayoral race: Kakha Kaladze - ruling Georgian Dream party - 51.3%. Nika Melia - United opposition - 34.6%.
The vote count will be taped in 3,200 polling stations during the October 2 municipal elections in Georgia for the first time as part of an additional transparency measure, spokesperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia Natia Ioseliani has stated. "Video recordings will be promptly uploaded to the internet on the Google Drive platform. Video cameras will also be used to record the recounting procedure as well. As a result of electoral reform it will be implemented for the first time this year,” said Ioseliani.
The Georgian Interior Ministry says the public order is being maintained throughout the country to ensure that citizens can cast their ballot in free and safe environment. Ministry representative Natia Kovziashvili said at a news briefing that the ministry representatives are in close communication with the local and international non-government organisations as well as the Public Defender’s Office.
Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) says that its more than 300 representatives observing yesterday’s municipal elections in Georgia have recorded about 160 minor and serious violations on the election day across the country.
A second round of municipal elections in Georgia will be held on October 30 as some candidates did not receive enough votes to overcome the mandatory threshold, including in Tbilisi, based on the preliminary results of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
Incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze says that he expected victory in the first round of yesterday’s municipal elections, but says he is sure he will be victorious in the second round.
A second round of mayoral elections are expected in all five big cities of Georgia, including Tbilisi, as none of the candidates received at least 50% + 1 of the vote.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 50%+1 of the vote, otherwise a second round of elections will be held).
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has called on the public to participate in the municipal election run-offs which will be held in Georgia on October 30. The CEC announced earlier today that the run-off will be held in 5 self-governing cities, 15 municipalities and 24 election districts.