Preliminary assessment of the Elections Day 13 November

 

Preliminary assessment

 

of the  Elections Day

 

13 November

 

Public Movement Multinational Georgia (PMMG) conducted the Elections Day monitoring program for 21 October 2017 Run-off Elections of Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community.

The Elections Day monitoring program covered Borjomi # 36, Khashuri # 35 and Khazbegi # 29 electoral districts (EDs).

The Elections Day monitoring program was being implemented by 83 short term observers deployed by the PMMG including 63 static observers, 16 mobile group observers, 3 district election commission observes and 1 central election commission observers.

The monitoring program fully covered Borjomi # 36 and Khazbegi # 29 electoral districts. As for Khashuri # 35 electoral district, the monitoring program covered only those electoral precincts located inside City Khashuri.

For the purpose of effective realization of Elections Day monitoring program PMMG mobilized incidents’ center operators stationed at its head office. Incidents’ center operators processed the electoral findings as obtained from program deployed short term observers. Moreover, the hot line was 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 was being supported by the lawyers engaged into the program.

 

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.  

 

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

 

 

 

 

Influencing the choice of the voter:

 

At #  26 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district the member of the precinct election commission has openly advised the voter (necessitating the support) whom to cast a vote (“Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia”). The incident was challenged by PMMG short term observer. The respective complaint was filed to the precinct election commission.  

 

Voting by presenting improper document:

 

At #  21 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district the incident was reported by PMMG short term observer according to which the voter has casted a vote without presenting a proper document (the ID with the made 2 holes – not valid). The incident was challenged by PMMG short term observer. The respective complaint was filed to the precinct election commission. 

 

Presence of malfunctioning inventory at the polling station:

 

At #  5 electoral precinct of #  36 Borjomi electoral district the incident was reported by PMMG short term observer according to which the marking checking appliance was not functional by12:07. The incident was challenged by PMMG short term observer. As a result the shortcoming was timely eradicated and the new appliance was introduced.

 

Interference in the voting process:

 

Number of people were standing at the entrance of # 13 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district and interfering in the voting process – shouting as well as making video. As a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG short term observer, the chairperson of the precinct election commission called the police, which eventually ousted the underlined people from the territory of the electoral precinct.

 

Procedural violation during vote casing process:  

 

At # 15 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district the bulletin was issued to the voter without putting the signature in the voters’ common list.  The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer.

 

There was an incident reported from # 19 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district according to which the quantity of voters’ signatures did not coincide with the quantity of issued bullet papers by 17:00. The incident was challenged by PMMG short term observer. As a result the member of precinct election commission (registrar) has drafted an explanatory note and consequently admitted the made unintentional mistake. PMMG observer has filed and submitted a complaint to the precinct election commission. 

 

At # 5 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district the incident was reported by PMMG short term observer according to which the excessive number of voters was identified at the polling station by 12:40. The incident was challenged by PMMG short term observer. As a result the number of voters has become regulated at the polling station by the respective member (queue regulator) of the precinct election commission.

 

At # 1 electoral precinct of # 35 Khashuri electoral district the incident was reported by PMMG observer according to which the voter inserted the envelop in the movable ballot box instead of main ballot box. The incident was removed as a result of verbal objection raised by PMMG observer. The movable ballot box was opened and sealed again.

 

At # 23 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district the bulletin was issued to the voter without putting the signature in the voters’ common list.  The incident was challenged by PMMG observer. As a result the explanatory note was drafted by the registrar.

 

Interference in the work of the precinct election commission:

 

There was an incident reported from # 19 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district according to which the representative of the political subject “David Tarkhan-Mouravi-Irma Inashvili-Patriots’ Alliance of Georgia” was interfering in the works of the precint election commission while counting the votes. The incident was challenged by the verbal objection raised by the PMMG short term observer. As a result the incident was removed.

 

Other types of shortcomings:

 

There was an incident reported from # 25 electoral precinct of # 36 Borjomi electoral district according to which 3 envelopes were inserted into the movable ballot box without the respective number of the ballots. The incident was challenged by PMMG short term observer. As a result the explanatory note was developed by the respective members of the precinct elections commission according to which they have accidently inserted the envelopes while driving. The shortcoming was eradicated and 3 envelopes were re-issued.

 

In total, within the framework of the monitoring program 11 incidents have been reported by the PMMG short term observers including: influencing the choice of the voter (1 incident), voting by presenting improper document (1 incident), presence of malfunctioning inventory at the polling station (1 incident), interference in the voting process (1 incident), procedural violation during vote casing process (5 incident), interference in the work of the precinct election commission (1 incident) and other types of shortcomings (1 shortcoming).

 

Within the frames of elections monitoring program PMMG has filed 3 complaints to the respective precinct elections commissions. All 3 complaints have been moved to the district elections commissions as far as they are having the authority to make judgment over the underlined complaints taken into account the essence the challenges.

 

Hereby it has to be noted that vast majority of shortcomings as challenged by the PMMG short term observers has been removed within the reasonable period and due fashion by the precinct elections commissions. As for the rest of the shortcomings which were not/could not been eradicated by the precinct elections commissions, was challenged with filing the complaints.

 

PMMG will continue the conduction of post-election monitoring in the respective district elections commissions over the process of adjudication of its complaints.

 

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Preliminary assessment of the Elections Day

 

Given the electoral findings as provided by the short term observers of PMMG it can be concluded that 21 October 2017 Run-off Elections of Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community in Borjomi # 36, Khashuri # 35 and Khazbegi # 29 electoral districts were held in calm, fair and competitive environment.

 

However, the observers revealed some minor electoral shortcomings which cannot affect the final outcome of the elections.

 

Hereby it has to be noted that all PMMG short term observers have been given the possibility to freely observer the opening and setting up the polling station, voting casting, closure of the polling station as well as tabulation of votes.

 

Analyzing the processing of the Elections Day it has to be underlined that the entire voting process has been administered in a qualified manner.

 

21 October 2017Run-off Elections of Mayor of Self-Governing City/Self-governing Community monitoring program was implemented with the support provided by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Georgia, “Open Society-Georgia Foundation” (OSGF), the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

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. 

2017-11-13 16:10:22| | 10927