Observation Mission- We observe elections in Georgia

Municipal Elections of Georgia- 2014, 15 June

Electoral violations and shortcomings statement of Public Movement Multinational Georgia

 

For 15 June, 2014 Municipal Elections the monitoring mission of the “Public Movement Multinational Georgia” covered Election Commission. “Multinational Georgia” carried out Election Day monitoring in Kvemo Kartli (Marneuli, Dmanisi, Tsalka, Tetritskaro, Gardabani, Rustavi), Samtskhe-Javakehti (Ninotsminda, Akhalkalaki, Aspindza, Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni, Borjomi), Kakheti (Lagodekhi, Sagarejo, Akhmeta, Kvareli), Shida Kartli (Kaspi19 electoral districts of 5 regions of Georgia with the compact settlements of ethnic minorities as well as Central) and Mtskheta-Mtinaeti (Mtskheta) regions.

 

The Election Day monitoring program has been executed by 437 observers out of which, 352 were static observers (PS), 19 District Election Commission Observers (DEC), 64 Mobile Groups Observers (MG) and 2 Central Election Commission Observers (CEC).

 

Hereby it has to be reiterated that since 1 May, 2014 “Multinational Georgia” was conducting pre-election monitoring in the underlined regions by 12 Long Term Observers.

 

“Multinational Georgia” is actively engaged in the electoral process since 2003 by delivering elections monitoring missions to promote transparency, fairness and democracy of elections. “Multinational Georgia” has observed all the elections conducted in the country including in the underlined regions as well as in Adjara and South Ossetia.

on 15 June “Multinational Georgia” disseminated information throughout a day through the media means regarding the electoral violations and shortcomings revealed in a course of opening and setting up the polling station, proceedings of the voting process, closure of the polling station as well as vote counting.

At the office of the “Multinational Georgia”17 call center operators were engaged to ensure the processing of the electoral findings. Call center operators were receiving and processing the electoral data as obtained from the observers and thus enabling the observer organization to deliver timely and adequate response to any facts of violation of electoral law.

Hereby, it has to be noted that any citizen was able to inform the hot line regarding the violation of election law specially organized at the central office of the “Multinational Georgia” to obtain information from the concrete individuals and apply to the respective measures for the elimination of the electoral problems throughout an Election Day.

Election Day observation program has been legally supported by the organization lawyers.

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For 15 June Municipal Elections, the vast majority of observers of the ”Multinational Georgia” were allowed to freely enter the electoral precinct to conduct the observation. Only 15 observers out of 350 were not allowed to freely observe the opening of the polling station.

33 polling stations out of 350 have been ready only after 08:10 for the reception of the first voter.

Moreover, based on the findings as obtained by the observers of the “Multinational Georgia” in most cases the number of ballots delivered to the electoral precinct has been less than the number of registered voters.

On the Election Day, observes of the “Multinational Georgia” have revealed 121 incidents. Among the identified incidents are:

• 5 facts of threat / pressure: # 11 polling station (PS) of # 22 Marneuli election district (ED), # 59 PS of # 25 Bolnisi ED, # 52 PS of # 37 Akhaltsikhe ED, # 39 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED.

 

• 12 facts of election agitation: # 45 and 48 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 18 PS of # 37 Akhaltsikhe ED, # 10 PS of # 25 Bolnisi ED, # 83 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 39 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED, # 50 PS of # 25 Bolnsisi ED, # 39 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 7 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 17 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 48 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED and # 41 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED.

 

• 5 facts of illegal restriction of the observer’s right: # 69 and 32 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 59 PS of # 25 Bolnisi ED, # 12 PS of # 37 Akhaltsikhe ED and # 40 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED.

 

• 8 facts of inappropriate documentation of the proceedings of the precinct election commission: # 8 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 68 PS of # 40 Akhalkalaki ED, #39 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED, # 83 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 46 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 10, 38 and 56 PSs of # 25 Bolnisi ED.

 

• 4 facts of inappropriate setting up of the polling station: # 7 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 14 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 38 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED and # 5 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED.

 

• 3 facts of violation of the rule for the distribution of functions among the members of the precinct election commission: # 13 and 72 PS of # 22 of Marneuli ED, # 25 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED.

 

• 17 facts of casting votes without checking / application of marking: # 20 and 24 PSs of # 40 Akhaltsikhe ED, #36 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED, # 1 and 7 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED, # 7,50, 11, 12, 18 and 83 PSs of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 12 and 14 PSs of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 29 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED, # 26 PS of # 30 Kaspi ED, # 48 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 17 PS of # 36 Borjomi ED.

 

• 12 facts of presence of unauthorized people at the polling station: # 23 and 38 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED, # 44 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 12 PS of # 40 Akhaltsikhe ED, # 10 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 4 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED, # 12 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 21 PS of # 30 ED, # 67 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 11 and 18 PSs of # 22 Marneuli ED.

 

• 13 facts of breach of ballot secrecy: # 42, 59 and 40 PSs of # 23 Bolnisi ED, # 68 PS of # 40 Akhalkalaki ED, # 14 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 46 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 12 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED, # 26 PS of # 30 Kaspi ED, # 48 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, # 10 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED, # 12 PS of # 41 Ninotsminda ED and # 10 PS of # 22 Marnueuli ED.

 

• 1 fact of ballots insertion: # 42 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED.

 

• 6 facts of attempt to cast a vote without improper documentation: # 18 PS of # 40 Akhaltsikhe ED, # 32 and 41 PSs of # 22 Marneuli Ed, # 14 and 32 PSs of # 41 Ninotsminda ED.

 

• 1 fact of pre-made signature in the voters’ list next to the graphs with voter’s names # 45 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED.

 

• 1 fact of non confirming ballots with signature and stamp: # 1 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED.

 

• 3 facts of incompatibility of the control paper: # 40 and 44 PSs of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 22 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED.

 

• 7 facts when the number of ballots did not correspond to the number of voters registered in the list: # 38 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED, # 63 PS of # 41 Akhalkalaki ED, # 17 PS of # 36 Borjomi ED, # 23 PS of # 37 Akhaltsikhe ED, # 2 PS of # 24 Dmanisi Ed, # 42 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED.

 

• 1 fact of inappropriate setting up of the PS has been identified in # 5 PS of # 24 Dmanisi ED: at the polling station one cabin was installed for 700 voters.

 

• At # 21 PS of # 25 Tsalka ED, village Toliani, the members of the Precinct Election Commission has prepared three samples of the control paper and inserted all of them into the ballot box. The observer has challenged the incident and the voting process has been halted. It has to be taken into account that the personal information of the first voter has not been put on the control paper as far as it has been inserted before the appearance of the first voter. After the opening of the ballot box, the members of the election commission have newly put the information of the first voter onto the control paper according to their considerations. Interestingly by that time 18 voters had already casted the vote.

 

• One fact of falsification of the results of the movable ballot box has been observed at the # 24 PS of # 23 ED. 2 voters have been added to the movable ballot box list on the very day of the elections.

 

• 7 facts of voting with the copy of ID have been revealed at # 56 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED.

 

• The secretary of # 42 precinct election commission of # 22 Marneuli ED did not comprehend the state language. Due to this fact the duties of the secretary has been executed by the unauthorized person – the other member of the commission. This fact has been challenged by the observer of the “Multinational Georgia” whose complaint has been satisfied with the result of substituting of the secretary.

 

• One fact of agitation at the # 26 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED was observed in the village Tsereteli. The voter has appeared in the PS with the official number and the logo of the election block “Georgian Dream” attached to her dress.

 

• One procedural violation has been identified by the observer of the “Multinational Georgia” at # 50 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED. The ballots have been inserted into the box without prior dropping of the control paper.

 

• More than 20 voters have voted without proper documentation (ID) at # 41 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED. Initially, the chairman of the precinct election commission has denied the objection of the observer to challenge the case on the ground that he had personally know those people whom he granted the right to vote without presenting the ID. However, later on the chairman registered the complaint of “Multinational Georgia’s” observer.

 

• Soon after the return of the movable ballot box, the observer has witnessed the case when there have not been signatures made in the movable ballot box voters’ list next to the graphs with voters’ names. This case has been observed at # 45 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED.

 

• The attempt of voting without proper documentation (driver’s license) has been observed at # 22 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED, in the village Shaumiani.

 

• Three voters have voted without prior checking of the marking at # 83 PS of # 22 Marneuli ED. Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” has challenged the case and filed a complaint.

 

• Registrar at # 45 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED has made the voter to put signature in the voters’ lists next to the graph with other voter’s name. By doing so registrar has stripped off the right of other voter to cast a vote. Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” challenged the case and filed a complaint with the request of imposition of personal responsibility of the register.

 

• The envelopes have expired at # 46 PS of # 40 Akhalkalaki ED due to their misusage. The process of voting has been carried out without envelopes – voters have dropped the ballots directly into the box without prior insertion into the envelopes. Additional pack of envelopes was brought to the PS as a result of objection raised by the observer of the “Multinational Georgia”.

 

• Chairman of # 40 Akhalkalaki district election commission was charging the interested parties for making the copy of the summary protocol and requesting the making of transfer to the Central Election Commission account. To this end, “Multinational Georgia” addressed the Central Election Commission for the immediate restriction of the incident. Soon after the involvement of the central election administration the illegal practice has been eradicated.

 

• The well-grounded facts for annulment of the election results have been observed at: # 40 and 44 PSs of # 11 Sagarejo ED, # 22 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED and # 21 PS of # 25 Tsalka ED. At all underlined PSs, three pieces of the control paper required to be identical has been different and incompatible.

 

• The fact of imposition of the extreme pressure on the observer of “Multinational Georgia” was revealed at # 40 PS of # 11 Sagarejo ED. Due to this fact the observer was forced to leave the electoral district. The pressure has been caused by the objection of the observer challenging the fact according to which the samples of the control paper were not identical and compatible. The observer was not allowed to file a complaint.

 

• Observer of the “Multinational Georgia” was not given the chance to register the complaint at # 22 PS of # 21 Gardabani ED. “Multinational Georgia” has filed the complaint to the district election commission.

 

• The complaint of the observer of the “Multinational Georgia” was not satisfied at # 21 PS of # 25 Tsalka ED.

 

• At # 38 PS of # 23 Bolnisi ED, it was observed that the quantity of ballots inserted into the box did not correspond with the actual number of signatures in the voters’ list – number of ballots exceeded the number of signatures.

 

• The similar fact has been identified at # 63 PS of # 40 Akhalkalaki ED.

 

 

Complaints:

 

Observers of the “Multinational Georgia” have filed 21 complaints; two of them have been moved to the district election commission. Out of 21 complaints, 9 were satisfied, 5 were denied and the rest are in a process of consideration. 

After the Election Day “Multinational Georgia” will carry out the post-election monitoring in the targeted regions with the direct engagement of the lawyers who will offer legal support to the observers while monitoring the proceedings taken place at the district election commissions.

   

 

Preliminary assessment of the Election Day monitoring program:

Given the facts and available evidence as obtained by the observers, “Multinational Georgia” concludes that 15 June, 2014 Municipal Elections held in 19 electoral districts of 5 regions (Kvemo Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakehti, Kakheti, Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Mtinaeti) of Georgia with the compact settlements of ethnic minorities have been characterized with some electoral shortcomings the very essence of which cannot affect the final outcome of the poll. 

Hereby it has to be noted, that the election process has been unprecedented highly competitive. Moreover, vast majority of the observers of “Multinational Georgia” have been able to observe each and every step of the election process and procedures during an Election Day. The voting process has been conducted in a culm environment. However, the observers revealed some significant shortcomings mostly caused by the inadequate level of electoral awareness as well as the lack of political culture of constituencies as well as local “interest groups”.

 

 

Information about the observers of “Multinational Georgia”

In those polling stations where the organization conducted the observation program, in 171 out of 350 polling stations all 13 members of the precinct election commission attended the opening process of the precinct.

Election administrations in the regions with the compact settlements of ethnic minorities have been staffed by the representatives of ethnic minorities. At 309 electoral precincts, the members of the precinct election commission have been the representatives of ethnic minorities.

At the polling stations where the organization conducted the elections observation mission, women have been widely engaged in the works of the election administration. However, in seldom cases they have occupied the senior (decision making) positions (chairperson and/or secretary). Notably, 1798 women have been identified among the members of the precinct election administrations out of which 79 held the chairperson’s position. In total, at 350 electoral precincts observed by the organization, 2429 represented ethnic minorities out of the total number of precinct election commission members. 1534 spoke Georgian language.

In 263 polling stations out of those 350 observed electoral precincts, chair or secretary of the precinct election commission was from minority.

 

The elections monitoring program is financially supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

 

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