Election Commission Chair: Establishing polling stations abroad is governed by specific regulations

Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of Georgia’s Central Election Commission, on Thursday said the process of establishing polling stations for Georgian citizens abroad to access voting was governed by specific regulations and protocols.

Under the law, a minimum of 50 people must be registered with a consulate to initiate the process of setting up a polling station, he noted and emphasised the CEC’s commitment to ensure voting “wherever legally feasible”.

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Responding to journalists’ questions regarding the utilisation of territories owned by the CEC for polling stations, Kalandarishvili clarified that the Commission “does not possess any territories, neither domestically nor internationally”, also adding that the stations could not be located at the religious organisations.

He stressed the Commission would coordinate closely with diplomatic representatives to address the issues related to arranging polling stations abroad.

Earlier today, Kalandarishvili briefed Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on the election preparation process and technological innovations, electronic voting, for the 2024 parliamentary elections.