Preliminary Statement of Public Movement "Multinational Georgia"

Preliminary Statement

 

31 October

 

For 30 October, 2016 Runoff Elections PMMG carried 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 covered 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 covered 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 were 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.

 

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The following types of incidents have been reported on the Election Day within the framework of PMMG implemented monitoring program:

 

Presence of unauthorized people at the polling station:

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.

 

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.

 

Inappropriate documentation of the electoral process:

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.

 

Agitation:

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.

 

Breach of ballot secrecy:

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.

 

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 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.

 

Voting without presenting proper documentation:

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.

 

Threat/pressure on observers:

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.

 

Repeated voting:

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.

 

Illegal restriction of observer’s rights:

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.

 

Inappropriate setting up of the polling station:

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.

 

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.

 

Voting without application/checking of marking:

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.

 

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.

 

Pre-made signatures in the voters’ list:

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.

 

Non-confirming of ballots with the stamp:

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.

 

Illegal restriction of rights of those people having the authority to be present at the polling station:

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.

 

Other types of electoral shortcomings:

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

At # 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.

 

There was an incident reported from # 48 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneui ED according to which no control paper was found in the main bullet box during its opening. The incident was objected by PMMG observer who filed a complaint to the precinct election commission.

The copier machine damaged at # 50 electoral precinct of # 36 Marneuli ED. As a result the precinct election commission has taken a decision to leave the electoral precinct for the purpose of taking the summery protocol to the district election commission. As for the election materials including unused bullets they were left at the polling station without sealing. The incident was challenged by the PMMG observer who filed a complaint to the district election commission.

In total, 34  incidents have were revealed by the short term observers of the PMMG including 5 incidents of presence of unauthorized people at the polling station, 1 incident of inappropriate documentation of the electoral process, 1 incident of agitation, 5 incidents of breach of ballot secrecy, 1 incident of voting without presenting proper documentation, 1 incident of threat/pressure on observers, 1 incident of repeated voting, 1 incident of illegal restriction of observer’s rights, 3 incidents of inappropriate setting up of the polling station, 2 incidents of voting without application/checking of marking, 1 incident of pre-made signatures in the voters’ list, 1 incident of non-confirming of ballots with the stamp, 1 incident of illegal restriction of rights of those people having the authority to be present at the polling station and 10 incidents of presence of different types of electoral shortcomings.

 

Hereby it has to be noted that out 34 incidents objected by the PMMG observers, 23 were removed as a result of raised verbal objections.

 

Moreover, PMMG observers have failed 9 complaints, out of which 5 were submitted to precinct election commissions and 4 to district election commission.

 

As for the complaints submitted to the district election commissions, they were failed on the following ground: absence of control paper in the main bullet box, leaving of election materials including unused bullets at the polling station without sealing, absence of information maintained in the precinct election commission registration book regarding the request (both verbal as well as written) for the delivery of the movable box.

PMMG will continue the conduction of post-election monitoring over the process of adjudication of its complaints through organization’s long term monitors as well as lawyer.

 

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Preliminary assessment of the Election Day monitoring program

 

Given the facts and available evidence as obtained by the observers, “Multinational Georgia” concludes that 30 October, 2016 Runoff Elections in # 23 Sagarejo, # 36 Marneuli, # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe  and # 9 Isani electoral districts (ED) with the compact settlement of ethnic minorities was held in general in calm, fair and competitive environment. Mostly, this assertion applies to # 23 Sagarejo, # 44 Adigeni-Akhaltsikhe  and # 9 Isani electoral districts (ED) falling within the framework of PMMG observable areas.

 

Hereby it has to be reiterated that the monitoring mission of the PMMG fully covered # 36 Marneuli ED in where the observers of the organization still revealed certain number of electoral shortcomings. However, given the quantity of revealed electoral violations as well as their character it can be argued that such shortcomings could not affect the final outcome of the elections.

 

Particular attention deserves to be played to the fact according to which the quality of drawing of the summary protocol of precinct election commissions has been substantially improved for Runoff Elections as compared with the first round of elections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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