Statements

\"International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy\" is conducting the monitoring of the parliamentary elections throughout the entire territory of Georgia. For the 2012 parliamentary elections, ISFED observation mission consists of the 1271 accredited and trained observers that are deployed at the precinct, district and central election commissions, 73 mobile groups among them.

 

ISFED Election Day observation is based on the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology. The observers are deployed at the statistically sound, representative, randomly selected electoral precincts, that gives possibility to extrapolate the statistical data throughout the entire country and provide a possibility of accurate and comprehensive evaluation. Apart from the randomly selected precincts, ISFED also osbserves special precincts at the prisons and in military units.

 

ISFED has observed all elections in Georgia since 1995. The organization has conducted all of its observation missions based on the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology since 2003.

 

ISFED presents the information about the Election Day process and violations, identified up to this time.

 

Main Findings

 

According to ISFED the voter turnout at 17:00 is 52%. This is a significantly higher percentage than the turnout at 17:00 on the 2008 Parliamentary Elections, which at that time was 43%. 

 

The turnout is especially noteworthy in Tbilisi. According to ISFED, at 17:00 in the capital, 52% have already casted a vote. This percentage exceeds the percentage of voter turnout at 17:00 on the 2008 Parliamentary Elections (41%) by 11%.

 

In the regions, the voter turnout at 17:00 is at 52%, whilst in 2008 the turnout at 17:00 was 53%. 

 

Analysis of PVT information also gives a possibility, to identify the speed of voting at each electoral precinct, based on the voter turnout data. According to the information received, at the 56% of the precincts the speed was less than one voter per minute, and in the 44% of the precincts the speed varied

from one to two voters per minute.

 

Incidents:

 

At this time, ISFED has identified:

 

•    4 new cases of violation of observer rights - in Rustavi precinct #70, Saburtalo #61, Kaspi #22 and Batumi# 22 (at the latter precinct the violation is resolved). 

•    2 cases of attempts to falsify the electoral documentation - in Dmanisi precinct #47 and Ozurgeti #12 (at the latter precinct the violation is resoved). 

•    4 cases of voting with an improper documentation - in Nadzaladevi precinct #2, Gldani #106, Mestia #20, Gurjaani #5 and Zugdidi #75.  

•    5 cases of voting on behalf of another person - in Rustavi precinct #86, Chiatura #23, Kutaisi #107, Batumi #8 and #31. 

•    6 cases of inking-related violations - in Samgori precinct #4, Mestia #20, Tskaltubo #4, Marneuli #30, Marneuli #50, Batumi #35 and #105 (at the latter precinct the violation is resolved). 

•    Violation of the voting secrecy - in Martvili precinct #9. 

•    2 cases of damaging the integrity of the seal of the ballot box - in Kutaisi #58 and #127.  

•    Mobile ballot box left the precinct late - in Marneuli #46. 

•    Presence of unauthorized persons at the precincts - in Vake precinct #46 and Dusheti #41. 

•    Two cases of improper processing/filling in the electoral documentation - in Kobuleti precinct #11 and Terjola #13.

•    2 cases of campaigning inside the polling station - precincts Lentekhi #11 and Sagarejo #42.

 

ISFED brings up an especially noteworthy at the Sagarejo #45 precinct. Throughout the day a number of violations took place at this precinct. The procedure of casting of lots was conducted with violations and the precinct opened at 08:30. At this precinct the commission members do not know Georgian language. Throughout the day, improper filling of the electoral documentation was observerd, unauthorized persons were present at the precinct, the secrecy of the ballot was violated, there was a chaos at the precinct. The complaints were filed, both at the precinct and in the relevant district electoral commission. Despite the complaints various types of violations continued to occur at the precinct. ISFED requested to annul the results of the precinct and to hold commission members (commission chairperson, among them) responsible.

 

At this time, ISFED observers have filed 38 complaints at the precinct electoral commissions, and 17 complaints at the district electoral commission. 

 

In addition, the NGO Elections Portal is actively operating (www.electionsportal.ge), where, at this time, 149 incidents, identified on the election day by the non-governmental organizations and citizens, are uploaded.

 

Any citizen can themselves publish information to the Elections Portal. Also, free SMS number - 2500, operates throughout the entire day for citizen reporing. 

 

The next ISFED statement will be made at 10pm. 

 

October 1, 2012 7:30pm.