Georgia’s Central Election Commission reveals date, procedures for 2024 parliamentary vote
Parliamentary elections in Georgia will be held on October 26. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Georgia’s Central Election Commission on Wednesday set October 26 as the date for this year’s parliamentary elections and outlined mandatory registration procedures for participating parties.
For political parties holding parliamentary seats from the 2020 elections, the process involves submitting an application to the CEC Chair. This application, endorsed by the party chair or leaders, must be submitted no later than the 57th day before the election date to secure participation rights.
Non-parliamentary parties will be required to submit the same documentation between January 1 and July 15. Additionally, these parties must obtain a sample list of supporters from the election administration, gathering signatories of at least 25,000 people within 60 days of receiving the sample but no later than August 1. The submitted list of supporters will undergo verification by the relevant CEC service in accordance with domestic laws.
Parties in the latter category are also required to present an extract from the register of political parties issued by the National Public Registry Agency. This document, indicating party leadership, should be issued within 10 days preceding the submission of the application.
The upcoming race will mark Georgia's transition to a fully proportional electoral system, with a set election threshold of five percent. It also marks the introduction of electronic voting in general elections across the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday claimed the country’s authorities were “well-prepared” for next year’s parliamentary elections, but opposed the latest opinion by the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe over election rules of the head of the country’s Central Election Commission and its members.
Preparations for next year’s parliamentary elections in Georgia and introduction of an electronic voting system ahead of the vote were discussed in a meeting between a delegation of the Central Election Commission of Georgia and representatives of the United States Agency for International Development and International Republican Institute in Washington on Tuesday.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Monday said the introduction of electronic voting across the country ahead of the 2024 Parliamentary Elections would “remove all kinds of speculation” by domestic “radical groups” about “rigged elections”.
The new constitution of Georgia, which was adopted in 2017, has automatically come into play after the yesterday’s presidential inauguration.
Beka Davituliani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday slammed the United National Movement party for “creating a storm in a teacup” after the latter called for the country’s Foreign Ministry to formally request observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe for the parliamentary elections in the country later this year.
Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, on Tuesday said the country’s election administration and other agencies would implement “all procedures” to ensure votes by compatriots residing abroad in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Central Election Commission, on Tuesday provided representatives from 40 political parties with a detailed overview of electronic voting technologies, the CEC said.
Georgia's European Union integration was discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, and Marc Nordberg, the Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs of the United States Embassy in Georgia.
Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Central Election Commission, and his Deputy Giorgi Sharabidze on Tuesday discussed preparations for the upcoming general elections in the country with a delegation of the United States Agency for International Development.
Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Central Election Commission, on Monday held an introductory meeting with Robin Dunnigan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, discussing the process of preparations for the 2024 parliamentary elections, the CEC said.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry on Monday addressed Matteo Mecacci, the Director of the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, with an invitation to send observers for the general elections in the country, set for October.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, on Wednesday pledged his Government's commitment to conducting “transparent and competitive” general elections this fall after sending an official invitation to observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
The ongoing work for public information campaigns for this year's parliamentary elections in Georgia was discussed in a meeting between Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the Chair of the Central Election Commission, and representatives of international organisations and diplomatic missions in the country.