Statement of the Public Movement Multinational Georgia Regarding turn over by 17:00 as well as voting process

Statement

 

Regarding turn over by 17:00 as well as voting process

 

21 October

 

08:00 -17:00

 

Public Movement Multinational Georgia (PMMG) is conducting the Elections Day monitoring program for 21 October 2017 Elections of the Representative Body of Municipality - Sakrebulo and Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community.

 

The Elections Day monitoring program covers 19 electoral districts (ED): Rustavi # 20, Gardabani # 21, Marneuli # 22, Bolnisi # 23, Dmanisi # 24, Tskalka # 25, Tetritskaro # 26, (Kvemo Kartli region), Borjomi # 36, Akhaltsikhe # 37, Adigeni # 38, Aspindza # 39, Akhalkalaki # 40, Ninotsminda # 41, (Samtskhe-Javakheti), Sagarejo # 11, Akhmeta # 18, (Kakheti), Kaspi # 30, Gori # 32, Kareli # 33 and Khashuri # 35 (Shida Kartli) electoral districts.

 

The Elections Day monitoring program is being implemented by 487 short term observers deployed by the PMMG including static observers, mobile group observers, district election commission observes and  central election commission observer. 

 

The monitoring program fully covers Rustavi # 20, Marneuli # 22, Gori # 32, Akhaltsikhe # 37 and Akhalkalaki # 40 electoral district.

 

For the purpose of effective realization of Elections Day monitoring program PMMG mobilized 8 incidents’ center operators stationed at its head office. Incidents’ center operators will process the electoral findings as obtained from program deployed short term observers. Moreover, the hot line (591 04 76 02) 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turnout at 17:00

 

The number of registered voters in # 20 Rustavi electoral district accounts for 105 616 people. The turnout by 17:00: 30,9 %

 

The number of registered voters in # 22 Marneuli electoral district accounts for 98 280 people. The turnout by 17:00: 30.34 %

 

The number of registered voters in # 32 Gori electoral district accounts for 110 437 people. The turnout by 17:00: 30 %

 

The number of registered voters in # 37 Akhaltsikhe electoral district accounts for 34 367 people. The turnout by 17:00: 41,45 %

 

The number of registered voters in # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district accounts for 38 148 people. The turnout by 17:00: 39,6 %

 

As for the conduction of vote casting process, PMMG observers have revealed the following types of electoral shortcomings as revealed during the voting process:

 

The incident of casting vote without checking of marking was reported from # 16 electoral precinct of # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district. The registrar of the precinct election commission allowed the voter to cast a vote without application of marking. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was introduced into the journal of notes. 

At # 16 electoral precinct of # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district the incident was reported with regard to the restriction of voter’s right to cast a vote through the movable ballot box. The address as indicated in the voters list was incorrect. The incident was challenged by PMMG observer and the respective note was made into the journal of notes.

At # 16 electoral precinct of # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district the incident was reported by PMMG observer according to which the seal and signature were preliminarily applied to the ballot paper. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes.

At # 51 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district the incident was reported with regard to the restriction of voter’s right to cast a vote through the movable ballot box. The voters’ list for movable ballot box was damaged. As a result Marneuli district election commission has made a decision to cancel the process of voting through the movable ballot box.

# 5 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district was opened with delay at 08:30 instead of the time as stipulated by the law. The incident was challenged by PMMG observer and the respective note was made into the journal of notes. 

The incident of casting vote without checking of marking was reported from # 9 electoral precinct of # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district. The voter was allowed to cast a vote without checking for marking. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes

The incident of casting vote without checking of marking was reported from # 81 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district. The voter was allowed to cast a vote without checking for marking. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes

The incident was reported from # 3 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district according to which the movable ballot box was returned to the polling station in sealed condition at 12:15. The reason for such an earlier return was explained by the fact that the voters were not present at the addresses as were indicated in the list. The precinct election commission has made a decision to resume the process of vote casting through the movable ballot box and the box was sent to the voters again. 

The incident of casting vote without checking of marking was reported from # 66 electoral precinct of # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district. The voter was allowed to cast a vote without checking for marking. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes

There was an attempt on the part of observer representing other observer organization to assist the voter in casing a vote. The incident was reported from # 6 electoral precinct of # 37 Akhaltsikhe electoral district. Hereby it has to be noted that the voter did not actually need the support of another person. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes.

The incident was reported from # 74 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district according to which the voter casted a vote by presenting the driving license. The incident was objected by PMMG observer and the respective note was made into the journal of notes.

The incident of casting vote without checking of marking was reported from # 37 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district. The voter was allowed to cast a vote without checking for marking. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes.

The incident was reported from # 37 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district according to which the voter put a signature in the paragraph belonging to the other voter. The respective note was made into the journal of notes.

The incident related with the violation of vote secrecy was reported from # 38 electoral precinct of # 40 Akhalkalaki electoral district,according to which two people were identified simultaneously into the voting booth. The incident was challenged by PMMG observer and the respective note was made into the journal of notes.

At # 69 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district PMMG observer has identified the case according to which the seal and signature were preliminarily applied to the ballot paper. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes.

The incident related with the violation of vote secrecy was reported from # 36 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district,according to which the person with disabilities being enlisted into the common voters’ list refused to enter into the voting booth and thus cast a vote openly. The incident was challenged by PMMG observer and the respective note was made into the journal of notes.

The incident of casting vote without checking of marking was reported from # 6 electoral precinct of # 37 Akhaltsikhe electoral district. The voter was allowed to cast a vote without checking for marking. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The respective note was made into the journal of notes.

At # 55 electoral precinct of # 22 Marneuli electoral district Rasin Ismailov appeared in the polling station with the accreditation of another person, notably representative of “European Georgia”. The incident has been confirmed by the review of the documentation.

The attempt of casing a vote on behalf of the other individual was reported from # 69 electoral precinct of # 32 Gori electoral district. The incident was explained by the fact that the person could not vote independently and allowed another individual (being under his custody) to vote on his behalf. The incident was adequately approached by the chair of the precinct election commission.

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.

 

Monitoring program of 21 October 2017 Elections of the Representative Body of Municipality - Sakrebulo and Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community is being implemented with the financial support provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Georgia, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF), the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden.

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. 

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