First Statement of Public Movement

 

Regarding the opening and setting up the polling stations from 07:00 to 08:00as well as the proceedings of the ballot casting process

 

30 October

 

11:30

 

For 30 October, 2016 Runoff Elections PMMG carries out the monitoring of the Election Day proceedings in # 23 Sagarejo, # 36 Marneuli,  # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe  and # 9 Isani electoral districts (ED).

 

The monitoring program covers 12 electoral precincts of # 23 Sagarejo ED,  46 electoral precincts of # 36 Marneuli ED,  7 electoral precincts of # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe ED and  8 electoral precincts of # 9 Isani ED.

 

The monitoring program will also cover 23 Sagarejo, # 36 Marneuli,  # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe  and # 9 Isani district election commissions as well as Central Election Commission.

 

In total, on the Elections Day 99 short-term observers will be deployed including 73 static observes, 21 mobile group observers, 4 district election commission observers and 1 CEC observer.

 

For the purpose of effective realization of Elections Day monitoring program PMMG mobilized call center operators stationed at its head office. Call center operators obtain and process the electoral findings obtained from short term observers. Moreover, the hot line is being functional at the PMMG office thus enabling all the interested parties to report electoral findings to the organization’s head office.

 

The Elections Day monitoring program is being supported by the lawyer engaged into the program.

 

During the opening and setting up the polling stations from 07:00 to 08:00 as well as the proceedings of the ballot casting process PMMG observers have revealed the following types of electoral shortcomings:

 

There was an incident reported from # 48 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which short term observer of the PMMG was not allowed to enter the polling station to observe the procedures for the purpose of distribution of duties and responsibilities among the members of the precinct election commission. To this end PMMG established communication with the CEC. As a result the incident was removed and PMMG observer was allowed to enter the polling station. Despite this fact the chairman of the PEC is displaying aggressive gesture against PMMG observer. The underline incident was objected by the observer and with the direct involvement of the chairman of Marneuli district election commission was registered by the precinct election commission.

At # 36 and # 19 electoral precincts of # 36 Marneuli ED, PMMG observer documented the fact according to which not all electoral materials were posted in the voting booth, notably the list of the majoritarian candidates. To this end PMMG observer made a special remark in the register’s book.

At # 36, # 55 and # 56 electoral precincts of # 36 Marneuli ED, there were cases of presence of unauthorized people in the polling station. The incidents were removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the PMMG observers.

At # 85 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED the voter being simultaneously the observer at the same polling station violated secrecy of voting. He marked his favorite candidate on the register’s table instead of voting booth. The same type of incident occurred at # 18 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The incidents were objected by the PMMG observers and the respective remarks were made in the register’s book.

The marking was not applied to the voter at # 64 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the observer as well as the special remark made in the register’s book.

There was an incident reported from # 18 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which the voter has applied his signature along the surname of another voter. The incident was protested in the form of the complaint filed against the precinct election commission.

The incident was reported from # 18 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which two voters entered the voting booth simultaneously without the presence of any necessity (allowed by the standing law). The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the observer as well as the special remark made in the register’s book. The bulletin was damaged and the new bulletin was issued to the voter.

There was a case of inconsecutive conduction of the electoral procedures on the part of the register at # 55 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. Moreover, there was a fact of larger number of voters allowed at the polling station. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the PMMG observer.

The register was putting the seal as well as the signature on the bullets in advance at # 65 electoral district of # 36 Marneuli ED. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the PMMG observer.

There were no seal applied to the bullets designated for movable box voting. This incident was reported from # 89 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The incident was protested by the PMMG observer who filed a complaint to the precinct election commission. As a result, the movable box with the respective members of the precinct election commission was returned to the electoral precinct and the seal was applied to the bulletins.

Representatives of the informational agency “All Media” were substituting each other at # 55 electoral precinct of # 36 ED. In one case representative of the mentioned agency accompanied the voter into the voting booth, as a result he was expelled from the polling station. In other case the substituted observer of the underlined agency was not allowing the voter to enter the polling station. The incidents were challenged by PMMG observers.

The marking was not applied to the voter at # 30 electoral precinct of # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe ED. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the observer as well as the special remark made in the register’s book.

There were no electoral materials posted in the voting booth as required by the law. The incident was reported from # 6 electoral precinct of # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe ED. The incidents were objected by the PMMG observers and the respective remarks were made in the register’s book.

The special list data (list of voters) was not included in the demonstrational protocol at # 46 electoral precinct of # 23 Sagarejo ED. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the observer as well as the special remark made in the register’s book.

# 38 and # 47 electoral precincts of # 23 Sagarejo ED the movable election box voters’ data was not reflected in the voters’ common list. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the PMMG observer.

By present, PMMG observers have failed 3 complaints, out of which 2 were satisfied.

In addition, 14 shortcomings have been removed as a result of verbal objections raised by the PMMG observers toward 16 revealed incidents.

In view of the above it can be argued that the process of opening and setting up the polling station as well as the proceeding of vote casing were conducted in a culm environment, despite the presence of some shortcomings.

 

Hereby it has to be noted that since 2003 PMMG is actively engaged in a process of promotion of fair elections as well as effective realization of electoral procedures. Organization conducted Elections Day monitoring for all elections held in the country including in Adjara region as well as so called South Ossetia Region.

 

Runoff Elections monitoring program is being implemented with the financial support provided by Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherland in Georgia and Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF).

 

The content of the report, press releases or special announcements to be produced within the frameworks of the monitoring program is under the sole responsibility of the PMMG and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the donor organizations. 

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