Preliminary assessment of the results of the second round of elections of Mayors and Gamgebelis (head of administration) observed by the Public Movement “Multinational Georgia”

For the second round of the Municipal Elections “Multinational Georgia” carried out the elections monitoring mission in Kvemo Kartli (Rustavi city), Kakheti (Telavi, Kvareli and Akhmeta cities as well as Karajala community of Telavi municipality), Shida Kartli (Gori city), Mtskheta-Mtianeti (Mtskheta city) regions as well as in three electoral districts of Tbilisi (Krtsanisi, Isani and Samgori) with the high density of ethnic minority voters. The monitoring mission also covered the Central Election Commission of Georgia. It has to be noted that the monitoring mission of the “Multinational Georgia” outreached all the electoral precincts of Telavi, Gori and  Mtskheta cities.

The monitoring mission has been executed by 155 observers out of which 115 were Short Term Observers (STO), 9 District Election Commission (DEC) observers, 30 Mobile Group (MG) Observers and 1 Central Election Commission (CEC) observers.

 

Since 2003 Public Movement “Multinational Georgia” has been involved in a process of promotion of fair and transparent elections in Georgia. Organization has observed all the elections conducted in the country including in Ajara and so called South Ossetian Region.

 

On 12 July “Multinational Georgia” was disseminating information through the media regarding the electoral violations and shortcomings as identified by the observes of the organization during the opening and setting up of the electoral precinct, vote casting and closing of the polling station as well as vote counting.

 

6 Call Center Operators were engaged in the Call Center set up at the head office of the “Multinational Georgia” to enter and process the findings as obtained from the program deployed observers into the elections data base. The Call Center was specially organized to register electoral shortcomings on regular bases which could endanger the conduction of the elections in a democratic manner.  

Every citizen could independently report the electoral shortcomings or any elections related incidents to the Hot Line of the “Multinational Georgia” which was functional throughout the Election Day to allow the processing as well as delivery of the respective measures to mitigate the violation of the electoral law.

The program was legally assisted by the lawyer of the “Multinational Georgia”.

 

 

During a second round of elections of the Mayors / Gamgebelis, observers of the “Multinational Georgia” have filed 11 complaints out of which 9 have been satisfied. Three complaints have been brought before the district election commission on the elections day, while 3 more complaints have been additionally submitted to DECs today based on the summary protocols issued by Krtsanisi, Kvareli and Telavi PECs. In particular:  

  • #17 electoral precinct of #16Khvareli Electoral District - demanding annulling and re-counting of the results, as well as the chair and the secretary to be fined (each 500 GEL) for the altering of the summary protocol.
  • #37 electoral precinct of #17 Telavi Electoral District – requesting the chair and the secretary to be fined (each 500 GEL) for the altering of the summary protocol.
  • #32 electoral precinct of #4 Krtsanisi Electoral District - demanding annulment of the results of the summary protocol and recounting based on the fact that the number of voters’ signatures is less than invalid protocols and number of votes for the electoral subjects altogether.

 

On 12 July most of the observers of the “Multinational Georgia” were allowed to freely enter the electoral precinct to observe the second round of elections. All the observers of the organization were allowed to freely observe the opening of the polling station.

 

On the Election Day observers of the “Multinational Georgia” have reported 81 incidents including:

 

  • Restriction of the right of observers: 2 incidents - # 95 and # 83 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district;

 

  • Threat and physical harassment on observes: 2 incidents - # 95 and # 83 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district;
  • The presence of unauthorized person at the electoral precinct: 3 incidents - # 6 and 83 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district as well as # 39 electoral precinct of # 17 Telavi electoral district. The complaint has been filed at # 39 electoral precinct which has been eventually satisfied by the precinct election commission;
  • Improper documentation of the elections documents / filling in: 14 incidents - # 1,3,12,14,16,21,80,95,96 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district; # 8 electoral precinct of # 18 Akhmeta electoral district; # 2 and 12 electoral precinct of # 17 Telavi electoral district; # 2 electoral precinct of # 27 Mtskheta electoral district; # 1 electoral precinct of # 5 Isani electoral district; # 10 electoral precinct of # 16 Kvareli electoral district. 3 complaints have been filed to the respective electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district regarding the underlined incidents. As for the other incidents, they have been resolved as a result of verbal objections raised by the observers;
  • Unlawful restriction of the observer’s right: 2 incidents - # 1 and 95 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district. The complaint has been filed regarding the incident taken place at # 95 electoral precinct. The complaint has been satisfied;
  • Pre-made signatures in the voters’ list next to the graphs with the voters’ name: 5 incidents - # 4 electoral precinct of # 27 Mtskheta electoral district, # 95 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district, # 6 and 12 electoral precincts of # 17 Telavi electoral district. The complaint has been filed regarding the incident taken place at # 4 electoral precinct of # 27 Mtskheta electoral district. The complaint was satisfied;
  • Voting without checking / applying marking: 2 incidents - # 7 electoral precinct of # 4 Krtsanisi electoral district, # 8 electoral precinct of # 16 Kvareli electoral district;
  • Attempt of voting without the presentation of proper document: 3 incidents – 2 incidents at # 95 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district and one incident at # 3 and 45 electoral precincts of # 17 Telavi electoral district;
  • Agitation at the polling station: 1 incident - # 37 electoral precinct of # 17 Telavi electoral district;
  • Breach of the secrecy of ballot: 2 incidents - # 4 electoral precinct of # 17 Telavi electoral district, # 5 electoral precinct of # 18 Akhneta electoral district;
  • Violation of the procedures for the designation of duties among the precinct election commission members: 3 incidents - #16 and 95 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district, # 30 electoral precinct of # 16 Kvareli electoral district. The complaint has been filed regarding the incident taken place at # 16 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district;
  • Facts of earlier / delayed opening of the electoral precinct to receive the first voter: 3 incidents - # 1 and 16 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district and # 30 electoral precinct of # 16 Kvareli electoral district;
  • Number of ballots not complying with the actual number of voters’ signatures: 2 incidents - # 16 and 84 electoral precincts of # 32 Gori electoral district.

 

Complaints

 

  • At # 39 electoral precinct of # 17 Telavi electoral district, the observer of the “Multinational Georgia” has identified two representatives of one of the nonprofit organizations present at the electoral precinct at the closure of the polling station. Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” has requested that one representative leave the electoral precinct. The complaint was filed;
  • One complaint was filed by the observer of the “Multinational Georgia” at # 5 electoral precinct of # 18 Akmeta electoral district regarding the incident according to which the number of the voters in the movable ballot box list has been entered in the graph of the number of voters in the general list as provided in the demonstration protocol. The complaint was registered;
  • The voter who has appeared on 18:22 at # 4 electoral precinct of # 27 Mtskheta electoral district has found the pre-made signature next to the graph with his name. Observer of the organization has filed a complaint requesting the administrative penalty of the registrar and designation of his duties to other members of the precinct election commission. The complaint was registered and satisfied;
  • The members of # 16 precinct election commission of # 32 Gori electoral district have voluntarily designated the duties among themselves without the conduction of the respective procedures. The complaint was filed by the observer which has been satisfied by the commission - the respective procedures were conducted anew;
  • The members of # 16 precinct election commission of # 32 Gori electoral district have been handed over the voters’ list, marking liquid and other respective materials prior to the conduction of the respective procedures for the designation of the duties among the commission members. Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” has filed a complaint as far as the incident has not been resolved by raising the verbal objection on the part of the observer;
  • Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” has reported the case according to which there was not a number of voters indicated in the special box of the demonstration protocol at # 21 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district. This fact has been explained by the possibility of increment of the voters’ quantity. To this end “Multinational Georgia” has address the Central Election Commission to obtain its explanations over the incident. With the engagement of the Central Election Commission the incident has been resolved. The special instructions have been issued to the respective electoral commissions;
  • Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” has found # 16 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district opened on 06:38. All the members of the precinct election commission were present. No commission member provided answer why the electoral precinct was opened 22 minutes earlier. The complaint was filed by the observer challenging the responsibility (discipline) of the chairman of the precinct election commission for the violation of the rules for opening and setting up of the polling station. The complaint was satisfied;
  • There was an incident of the alleged falsification of the votes at # 3 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district. Observer of the organization has noted that the registrar was hiding the paper with the notes put on it. Observer requested the disclosure of the paper. After the order issued by the chairman of the precinct election commission, the registrar has disclosed the paper which turned out to  have names and surnames put on it. Observer of the organization has considered the case as well as the conduct of the registrar as suspicious and requested the consideration of the issue of his personal responsibility. The complaint was filed regarding this incident which has been satisfied – the registrar has been removed from the execution of his immediate duties.

 

 

Preliminary assessment of the results of the second round of elections

Given facts and available evidence it can be concluded that the second round of the Municipal Elections held on 12 July and observed by the “Multinational Georgia” in Kvemo Kartli (Rustavi city), Kakheti (Telavi, Kvareli and Akhmeta cities as well as Karajala community of Telavi municipality), Shida Kartli (Gori city), Mtskheta-Mtianeti (Mtskheta city) regions as well as in three electoral districts of Tbilisi (Krtsanisi, Isani and Samgori) with the high density of ethnic minority voters have been conducted with some electoral shortcomings which would not affect the final outcome of the polling.

Most of the observers of the “Multinational Georgia” have been allowed to carry out the observation over the conduction of the voting. The vote casting process itself has been carried out in a culm environment. However, observers of the “Multinational Georgia” have identified several electoral shortcomings largely caused by the insufficient understanding of the election law on the part of some precinct election commission members.

 

 

Information about the observers of the “Multinational Georgia”

At all electoral precincts where the organization conducted the monitoring mission, all 13 members of the precinct election commission have attended the opening of the polling station as well as the conduction of its setting up procedures.

In 84 out of 115 cases, observers of the “Multinational Georgia” have been selected among those observers who have been allowed to immediately observe ballot counting process.

At those electoral precincts where the organization conducted elections monitoring mission, women have been widely represented in the precinct election commissions. In addition, 71.3 % of the chairpersons of the precinct election commissions represented women, while 97.4 % out of the total number of secretaries of the precinct election commissions represented women.

Moreover, it has to be noted that at those electoral precincts of Akhmeta, Kvareli and Telavi electoral districts with the compact settlements of ethnic minority voters, representatives of ethnic minorities have been widely represented among the members of the precinct election commissions.

However, the representatives of ethnic minorities were underrepresented in those precinct election commissions of Krtsanisi, Isani and Samgori electoral districts where the ethnic minorities reside with high density.

 

 “Multinational Georgia” continues to carry out post elections monitoring over the conduct of district elections commissions in line with the engagement of the organization’s lawyer who apart from the assumption of other duties will impose the monitoring over the complaints adjudication process filed by the observers of the “Multinational Georgia”. 

The elections monitoring program was financially supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Open Society Georgian Foundation (OSGF) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

 

The content of the press release and other special announcements made by the “Multinational Georgia” might not reflect the opinion of the donor organizations.

Press-service

| |