Second Statement of Public Movement

Regarding the proceedings of the ballot casting process

 

30 October

 

11:30-8:00

 

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 period from11:30 to 8:00 PMMG observers have revealed the following types of electoral shortcomings:

 

Fact of presence of unauthorized people at the polling station: (2 incidents)

 

At # 58 electoral precincts of # 36 Marneuli ED, there was a case of presence of two observers from the organization “Green World” at the polling station. The fact was challenged by the PMMG observer. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by the PMMG observer and as a result the extra observer of the underline organization was ejected from the electoral precinct. 

 

The unauthorized person was acompaning the voters inside # 65 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The fact was challenged by PMMG observer who filed a complaint. As a result the incident was removed and the mentioned individual was no more allowed to enter the polling station.

 

 

 

Fact of inappropriate documentation of the electoral process: (1 incident)

 

There is no information maintained in the precinct election commission registration book regaring the request (both verbal as well as written) for the delivery of the movable box. Such case is reported from # 19 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The incident was protested by the PMMG observer who filed a complaint.

 

Facts of agitation: (1incident)

 

The fact of agitation was reported from # 65 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. Notably, representative of “the Center for Freedom and Equality” was agitating in favor of the “United National Movement”. The fact was challenged by PMMG observer. As a result, chairman of the precinct election commission warned the representative of “the Center for Freedom and Equality” who stopped agitation.

 

Facts of breach of ballot secrecy: (2incidents)

 

The fact of breach of ballot secrecy was reported from # 44 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which the voter took the photo of the ballot inside the voting booth. The incident was challenged by the PMMG observer who made a remark in the register’s book.

 

Several facts of breach of ballot secrecy were reported from # 57 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The voters were leaving the voting booth without planning the bullets inside the special envelop thus openly displaying their choice. The fact was challenged by the PMMG observer who made a remark in the registration book.

 

Facts of voting without presenting proper documentation: (1 incident)

 

The fact of voting without presenting proper documentation was revealed at # 60 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. The voter was allowed to cast a vote without presenting ID. The fact was challenged by the PMMG observer and the complaint was filed.

 

Facts of threat/pressure on observers: (1 incident)

 

The incident of threat/pressure on PMMG observer was reported at # 26 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED from the side of the member of precinct election commission. The PMMG observer has identified the electoral shortcoming and objected to the chairman of the precinct election commission. This fact irritated one of the members of the commission who threatened PMMG observer with physical harassment in case he filed a complaint. Moreover, the member of the precinct election commission tried to clarify the case with PMMG observer outside of electoral precinct. The incident was removed as a result of communication established between PMMG and CEC.

 

Facts of repeated voting: (1 incident)

 

The incident was reported from # 48 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which the voter having the traces of marking was allowed to cast a vote. The case was protested by PMMG observer. The complaint was filed which was satisfied.

 

 

 

 

 

Other types of electoral shortcomings: (4 incidents)

 

There was an incident occurred at # 48 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which the voters with marking were trying to enter the polling station. The incident was challenged by PMMG observer. As a result the underlined voters were not allowed to enter polling station.

 

Similar type of incident occurred at # 18 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED according to which the voter with marking was trying to enter the polling station. The incident was challenged by PMMG observer. As a result the underlined voter was not allowed to enter polling station.

 

The voter has shown up at # 18 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED possessing the copy of table voters’ list in which he was making remarks about those voters who have already took part in vote casting process. The fact was challenged by PMMG and other organizations’ observers. As a result the underlined individual left the polling station. In addition, the police was called regarding this incident.

 

Some procedural shortcomings have been reported from # 59 electoral precinct of # 36 ED. The registers were first requesting the voters to put signatures in the common voters’ list and then were applying marking. Moreover, the supervisor of main voting box was handing out the special envelops to the voters without possessing such right.  The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer.

 

During the period from11:30 to 8:00 PMMG observers have revealed 13 incidents out of which 9 were removed as a result of verbal objection. In addition, PMMG observers have failed 4 complaints to the precinct election commission, out of which one was submitted to the district election commission.

In view of the above it can be argued that the process of vote casing was 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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