Electronic voting “qualitatively new system” for Georgia, a “top standard” - ruling party MP
Givi Mikanadze, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday, explained procedures for electronic voting. Photo: parliament of Georgia press office
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Givi Mikanadze, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the introduction of electronic voter registration and voting in the country starting with the 2024 parliamentary elections was a “qualitatively new electoral system” of a “top standard”, in comments to critical reactions to the initiative by a part of the domestic opposition.
Speaking with the Georgian public broadcaster, the MP dismissed the opposition’s claims that the electronic vote registration would cover only 70 percent of precincts, stressing that while 70 percent of voters would vote electronically, only about 10-15 percent would still cast their votes in a traditional manner.
Explaining procedures for electronic voting, Mikanadze said a paper, instead of a ballot box, would be used for voting, with the choices cast in an electronic counting machine.
There will be no remote voting to prevent security threats and outer influence on the process. The machine will not be connected to the internet, it will just count the votes electronically. There will be no invalid ballots, or need for exit polls or the parallel vote count”, he said.
The ballot papers cast in a traditional way "will be immediately digitised once taken out of ballot boxes", said the MP. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
In response to the opposition’s criticism on the electronic system not covering the whole electorate, the legislator pointed to the “high cost” of the devices for electronic voting, noting even countries with stronger economies were unable to hold fully electronic elections.
However, Mikanadze said the approach to the traditional voting by the 10-15 percent of voters would be modified, stating that the ballot papers “will be immediately digitised once taken out of ballot boxes and instantly uploaded on the central election commission official webpage”.
Therefore, it can be said that the 2024 elections will be held in a fully electronic and digital way, practically removing any threats for election rigging”, said the MP, adding that the ruling party was open to discuss related amendments with the opposition.
“However, the radical part of the opposition has no desire to join the discussion”, he added.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, announced earlier this month the ruling team had made a decision on a widespread introduction of an electronic voter registration and voting system starting with the 2024 elections.
Kobakhidze noted the government was “actively working” on the implementation of the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Union, which, among other things, involves revision of the Georgian election code.
Speaker of the Georgian parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said the introduction of an electronic voter registration and voting system starting with the 2024 parliamentary elections in the country would leave “no room for speculation”.
Thea Tsulukiani, the vice prime minister and Georgian minister of culture, on Wednesday said the government’s initiative to introduce e-voting starting with the next scheduled elections would put an end to the “false rhetoric” of alleged election malpractice from the opposition and “once again show the real face” of the latter.
Aleksandre Rakviashvili, an MP from the Girchi opposition party, on Tuesday welcomed the ruling Georgian Dream party’s announcement on introducing electronic voter registration and voting starting with the 2024 Parliamentary elections in the country, calling the move a “step forward” for ensuring a fairer electoral environment.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the ruling team had made a decision on a widespread introduction of an electronic voter registration and voting system starting with the 2024 Parliamentary elections in the country.
Rati Ionatamishvili, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the new initiative for introducing electronic voting in elections in the country could cover 90 percent of voters instead of initially offered 70 for the 2024 parliamentary elections, with the remaining ballot papers being instantly digitised and uploaded online after their retrieval from ballot boxes.
Extraordinary and by-elections are being held in Georgia’s ten municipalities on Saturday, with voters set to elect a majoritarian member of the Parliament in Poti, Senaki and Khobi, majoritarian members of city councils (Sakrebulo) in Gurjaani, Tianeti, Akhaltsikhe, Tkibuli and Kutaisi, as well as mayors of Tsageri and Terjola, using “large-scale” electronic voting for the first time in the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday accused President Salome Zourabichvili and a part of the domestic opposition of “hampering” the process of composition of the country’s Central Election Commission, following the party’s announcement about a new electoral bill on election of the Commission Chair in the Parliament.
Georgia’s election administration will launch a “large-scale” public information campaign starting next week to raise awareness among voters to the newly introduced technology ahead of the upcoming 2024 Parliamentary Elections.
Electoral reform in Georgia was discussed in a meeting between Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party and members of the United Nations Electoral Needs Assessment Mission, the Georgian Parliament said on Friday.
Lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party on Wednesday urged Khatuna Samnidze, the head of the Republican Party in the Parliament, to name domestic opposition representatives she accused on Tuesday of taking actions to “hamper” Tbilisi’s obtaining of the European Union membership candidate status in December.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday claimed “all issues” raised during the September visit of Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative and the Vice President of the European Commission, around the Georgian Government's fulfilment of the bloc’s conditions for granting the country its membership candidate status had been “addressed”.