Statement Regarding the opening and setting up the polling stations from 07:00 to 08:00 and the proceedings of the ballot casting process as well as turnout for 11:00

Statement

 

Regarding the opening and setting up the polling stations from 07:00 to 08:00and the proceedings of the ballot casting process as well as turnout for 11:00

 

12 November

 

11:00

 

Public Movement Multinational Georgia (PMMG) conducts the Elections Day monitoring program for 21 October 2017 Run-off Elections of Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community.

The Elections Day monitoring program covers Borjomi # 36, Khashuri # 35 and Khazbegi # 29 electoral districts (ED).

The Elections Day monitoring program is being implemented by 83 short term observers deployed by the PMMG including 63 static observers, 16 mobile group observers, 3 district election commission observes and 1 central election commission observers.

The monitoring program fully covers Borjomi # 36 and Khazbegi # 29 electoral districts. As for Khashuri # 35 electoral district, the monitoring program covers only those electoral precincts located inside of City Khashuri.

For the purpose of effective realization of Elections Day monitoring program PMMG mobilized  incidents’ center operators stationed at its head office. Incidents’ center operators process the electoral findings as obtained from program deployed 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 lawyers engaged into the program.

 

PMMG short term observers have reported the following tendencies with regard to the opening and setting up the polling station from 07:00 to 08:00:

 

• All short term observers were allowed to freely access the polling station;
• All short term observers were allowed to freely observe the procedures with regard to the opening and setting up of the polling station;
• All polling stations were ready for the reception of the first voter by 08:00, except one;
• No major violations were revealed in a course of opening and setting up of the polling station.

 

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 minor shortcomings, including: 

 

At # 1 electoral precinct of # 35Khashuri electoral district the incident was reported by PMMG observer according to which the voter inserted the envelop in the movable ballot box instead of main ballot box. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The movable ballot box was opened and sealed again.

 

At # 15 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral districtthe bulletin was issued to the voter without putting the signature in the voters’ common list.  The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer.

 

Turnout for 11:00:

 

• Borjomi: 3157 voters (out of 26528) – 11,9%
• Khashuri: 1646 Voters (out of 48963) – 3,4%
• Khazbegi: 515 Voters (out of 5313) – 9,7%

 

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.

 

21 October 2017Run-off Elections of Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community monitoring program is being implemented with the support provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Georgia, “Open Society-Georgia Foundation” (OSGF), the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

The content of the statement is under the sole responsibility of PMMG and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the donor organizations. 

2017-11-12 11:54:53| | 10847