Statements

\"International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy\"conducts the monitoring of the parliamentary elections throughout the entire territory of Georgia, in all 73 electoral districts. On the 2012 parliamentary elections ISFED observation mission consists of 1271 accredited and trained observers, which are deployed at precinct, district and central election commission levels, 73 mobile groups are also

among them.

 

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

 

ISFED has the experience of observing the elections starting from the 1995. The organization has conducted all of the observation missions based on the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology since 2003.

 

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

 

Main Findings

 

According to ISFED the voter turnout at 12:00 is 25%. This is an increased percentage than the turnout of 22% at 12:00 on the 2008 parliamentary elections.

 

At 12:00 the voter turnout in Tbilisi is 24%, in 2008, at 12:00 the voter turnout in the capital was 20%. In the regions, at 12:00 the voter turnout is 26%, whilst in 2008 the voter turnout at 12:00 was 23%. 

 

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, the speed of voting was less than one voter per minute in the 40% of the precincts, and in 60% of the precincts the speed of

voting was from one to two voters per minute.

 

Incidents:

  

ISFED observes the increase in the number of cases in which ISFED observers were hindered to perform observation properly. ISFED calls for all levels of electoral administration to act according to the regulations of the election code and ensure that observers\' rights are safeguarded.

 

ISFED has identified

 

•    3 new cases of violation of observer rights ( ISFED observers) - in Gldani #33, Isani #23, and Kutaisi #70 polling stations.

•    4 cases of violation of the secrecy of voting - in Chokhatauri #18, Martvili #2, Gldani #54 and Dmanisi #4 precincts.

•    Inking was not checked at 3 precincts - in Ozurgeti #45, Saburtalo #13, and Marneuli #68.

•    6 cases of voting with improper documentation - in Kutaisi # 70, Kutaisi #18, Isani #18, Senaki #14, Senaki #8, and Samgori #65 polling stations.

•    5 cases of improper processing of/filling in the electoral documentation - in Mtatsminda #12, Khelvachauri #13, Marneuli #63, Saburtalo #86 and Kaspi #4 precincts.

 

Because of the high voter turnout throughout the country, the crowding of people at the precincts creates certain problems.

 

In addition, ISFED especially emphasizes on the precinct #9 of Akhalkalaki district,where the inking was not applied, the situation was chaotic, the ballot-casting was conducted without ID cards, commission members were observed to be campaigning in favor of UNM, the registrars circled the electoral subjects in the ballots themselves before giving them to voters. Because of the abovementioned, ISFED requested to suspend the voting process, to resolve the violation and to hold the relevant commission members responsible.

 

Up to this time, ISFED observers have filed 34 complaints to the precinct commissions and 11 complaints to the district commissions.  

 

The detailed information about the violations and incidents, identified on the election day by ISFED is accumulated at the elections portal - www.electionsportal.ge

 

Any citizen can themselves publish information to the elections portal. Free SMS number - 2500,  operates throughout the entire day, and text messages can be sent from any mobile operator.

 

ISFED will make its next statement at 7pm

 

October 1, 2012; 1:30 pm