GEORGIAN

2024 Parliamentary Elections

10:00 - Opening and setting up of polling stations

10:00 - Opening and setting up of polling stations
  1. Information about the observation mission

The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) is monitoring the October 26, 2024 parliamentary election in all electoral districts across Georgia (excluding the occupied territories).

ISFED’s election observation mission consists of around 1,000 observers deployed inside of polling stations, 235 observers deployed outside of polling stations and 45 observers at polling stations abroad, as well as 73 observers deployed at District Election Commissions (DECs) and 85 mobile groups. ISFED operates data and incident analysis and processing centers at its headquarters, with 32 operators and 23 lawyers.

ISFED’s observation of the parliamentary election is based on the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology, where PVT observers are deployed to a randomly selected, nationally representative sample of polling stations. The outside observation of the polling stations draws on an identical methodology.

 

  1. Key findings

According to the information received from ISFED’s observers, nearly 75% of the observed polling stations were ready to commence the voting process by 08:00. ISFED’s observers were allowed to access and to observe the vast majority of polling stations. However, in some cases, they were deprived of the right to observe the process of casting lots. There were also cases where ISFED’s observers were expelled from polling stations. Near some polling stations, ISFED’s observers noted the presence of so-called coordinators, who were tracking the voters who had cast their ballots.

 

  1. Opening and setting up of polling stations: Information based on the PVT

ISFED received reports on the opening of the voting process from 98% of polling stations covered by the PVT. According to the results: 

  • ISFED’s observers were allowed access without restrictions in the majority of polling stations;
  • 63% of the polling stations had from 15 to 17 commission members present. In the remaining 37% of the polling stations, there were from 9 to 14 commission members on the spot;
  • In 97% of the polling stations, the space and setup of the Precinct Election Commission (PEC) premises allowed for a full-fledged observation of the process;
  • 75% of the polling stations were ready to commence the voting process by 08:00. Nearly all other polling stations were ready in the period between 08:00 and 08:20;
  • In nearly all polling stations, ballot boxes were sealed in accordance with the law;
  • In most polling stations, the right of individuals accredited for the polling stations (observers/representatives) was upheld.

 

 

Observations on polling stations where the election is held using electronic technologies:

  • In nearly all polling stations, voter verification, as well as synchronization of vote counting devices, occurred in accordance with rules of relevant instructions;
  • In nearly all polling stations, the zero extract documents of the voter verification and vote counting devices confirmed that no one had undergone prior verification/registration;
  • In nearly all polling stations, the voter lists were printed from the verification device and displayed for public access;
  • In 91% of the polling stations, verification and vote counting devices had no technical errors by 08:00.

 

  1. Violations/incidents 

As of 10:00, ISFED’s observers have reported the following violations/incidents:

 

Restricting the rights of observers

  • At polling station #27 of the electoral district #41 (Mtskheta) and at polling station #58 of the electoral district #20 (Rustavi), ISFED’s observers were not allowed to enter the penitentiary facility after polling had commenced;
  • At polling stations #9 and #12 of the electoral district #67 (Zugdidi), ISFED’s observers were expelled from the polling station.

 

Violations of the inking procedure 

  • At polling station #9 of the electoral district #36 (Borjomi), two voters voted without undergoing the inking procedure.

 

Presence of unauthorized persons at polling station

  • At polling station #5 of the electoral district #79 (Batumi) and at polling station #50 of the electoral district #24 (Dmanisi), unauthorized individuals were present;
  • At polling station #3 of the electoral district #51 (Zestafoni), a representative of "Georgian Dream" allowed a voter to the polling station before the opening. A note was filed in the record book regarding this fact.

 

Cases of physical violence

  • There was a case of physical violence at polling station #9 of the electoral district #67 (Zugdidi).

 

Problems related to the setup of the area

  • At polling station #18 of the electoral district #67 (Zugdidi) and polling station #22 of the electoral district #30 (Kaspi), the registrars’ tables were so close to the wall that the accredited observers at the polling station did not have the opportunity to sufficiently observe the process.

 

Alleged vote-buying

  • A case of alleged vote-buying was reported near polling station #1 of the electoral district #57 (Tkibuli). According to the information of ISFED’s external observers, one of the alleged coordinators of "Georgian Dream" who has been present there since the beginning of the voting process, together with other persons, gave a sum of 100 GEL to a voter who came out of the polling station;
  • A case of alleged vote-buying was recorded at polling station #3 of the electoral district #7 (Chugureti). ISFED’s external observer noted noise generated near the polling station, caused by the fact that a representative of one of the electoral subjects had observed the handing out of fuel coupons to a voter by a representative of the Chugureti administration. According to information provided by ISFED’s observer, the representative of the Chugureti administration and the persons accompanying him asked the given person to delete the respective recording from his mobile phone;
  • At polling station #17 of the electoral district #18 (Akhmeta), a mayor’s representative in the village Kvemo Alvani allegedly handed over money to a voter. 

Voter tracking near polling stations

  • At polling station #75 of the electoral district #10 (Gldani), coordinators present at the polling station are tracking the arrival of voters. They are located approximately 50 meters from the polling station and have been there since the beginning of the voting process.

 

Violations related to ballots

  • At polling stations #33 and #15 of electoral district #81 (Kobuleti) and polling station #10 of electoral district #79 (Batumi) there were cases of handing out more than one ballot per voter.

 

 

  1. Complaints, statements

As of 10:00, ISFED’s observers have filed 10 complaints at PECs and two entries were logged in the record book.  

 

  1. Web portal for violations and incidents 

Election day incidents and alleged violations are posted on the interactive map of the Elections Portal - http://www.electionsportal.ge/. Anyone with information on possible violations can report it through http://www.electionsportal.ge/geo/new_incident.

 

 

ISFED’s next statement will be released at 14:00.

 

ISFED's monitoring mission is made possible by the support of the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Government of the United Kingdom, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The opinions expressed herein belong solely to ISFED and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EU, USAID, UK, SIDA and NED.