ISFED: run-offs were a ‘missed opportunity’ for Georgian democracy
In total, ISFED observers filed 161 complaints in election commissions during the run-offs.
Photo: isfed.ge
Tweet 
Share
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has assessed the October 30 municipal election run-offs as a ‘missed opportunity’ for Georgian democracy.
The organisation monitored the second round of elections in all 20 constituencies where the run-offs were held, with 542 observers at polling stations and 100 outdoor observers.
ISFED’s executive director Nino Dolidze said earlier today that the run-offs went ‘according to the legal regulations in terms of technical administration.’
However, the organisation noted that the detected violations, including ‘possible cases of vote-buying,’ could have influenced the final results in the municipalities where the differences between the votes are small.
“The patterns displayed on election day damaged trust towards the electoral processes. ISFED thinks that the run-offs are a missed opportunity on the way to the country's democratic development,” Dolidze told the press.
In total, ISFED observers filed 161 complaints in election commissions during the run-offs.
An interactive map put together by the Agenda.ge team shows the results of the 2021 municipal election run-offs, displaying voter turnout and other various figures, per region and city.
The official results of the October 30 municipal election run-offs in Georgia show that ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party mayoral candidates have won in 19 municipalities, while the opposition United National Movement (UNM) contender has won in just one.
The Central Election Commission has reported 219 formal complaints from the election runoff voting by 11pm on Saturday, most of them "procedural" violations.
Agenda.ge team has put together an interactive map showing results of the 2021 municipal elections in real time, as the Central Election Commission is preparing to announce its preliminary data on the votes late during the night between Saturday and Sunday.
The second round of municipal elections will take place in Georgia tomorrow, including in all big cities of the country, amid a polarized political environment and continued rivalry between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the main opposition, the United National Movement. The GD claims they will ‘finally defeat and end the UNM’ in the race, describing it ‘as an evil force’ which has been hampering development for 18 years, while the UNM still hopes the run-offs will lead to snap parliamentary elections ‘and the changing of the GD government.’
The official results of the Central Election Commission (CEC) for the 2021 municipal election run-offs in Georgia show that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party mayoral candidates have won in 19 municipalities, while the opposition United National Movement (UNM) contender has won in just one. Incumbent Tbilisi mayor and candidate Kakha Kaladze from the GD took 55.6% of the votes over the UNM’s Nika Melia, with 100% of the votes counted.
Transparency International (TI) Georgia, which monitored the October 30 municipal run-offs, says that the public may have ‘legitimate questions’ regarding the ‘overall fairness of the elections.’ TI Georgia claims that violations, including physical confrontations, interference in the work of observers and journalists, and the admittance of voters to polling stations without checking electoral ink stamps, might have had a ‘serious impact’ on election results.
OSCE/ODIHR and European Parliament (EP) observation missions have assessed Georgian municipal election run-offs held yesterday, stating that the race ‘was generally competitive and organized professionally’, but increasing polarization and negative rhetoric, as well as allegations of voter intimidation and the ‘continuing advantage of incumbency, demonstrated the need for further reforms.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) says that it is ready to lend support to election commission member of Kutaisi No. 90 polling station Iza Chirgadze, who said last week that she was forced by ruling Georgian Dream party representatives to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on the election day on Saturday.
An election commission member of the Kutaisi No. 90 polling station, Iza Chirgadze, who claimed that she was forced by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party to give ballot papers to unregistered voters on election day - October 30 - denies pressure was put on her, noting that she was not in any danger, after having been missing for the last two days.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) says that a source gave them a document which allegedly proves school staff were forced to campaign in the recent municipal elections.