Georgia may introduce "electronic elections"

Electronic elections in Georgia

The ruling Georgian Dream party has come up with an initiative to hold elections in Georgia electronically. The chairman of the party, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced this at a briefing today.

According to Kobakhidze, according to the project, voter registration and voting in the 2024 parliamentary elections will be carried out using electronic equipment in most polling stations. Electronic elections will be held in all cities and large towns, which will cover at least 70% of voters.

“Electronic voting will finally strengthen voters’ confidence in the vote counting process, eliminate the problem of unbalanced electoral protocols, and put an end to so-called speculation forever. As for the voting carousels, it ensures that more than 70% of the votes are counted and the results are published within a few minutes after voting is closed. It will also remove problems associated with exit polls and parallel counting,” Kobakhidze said.

He also noted that this will be formalized in the coming days in the form of a bill, after which practical steps will be taken to equip polling stations with electronic equipment based on consultations with the Georgian government.

“The initiative does not provide for remote voting, including by immigrants, because this carries many risks,” Kobakhidze explained.

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Electronic elections involve the use of computer technology in the voting and counting process.

Electronic elections are standard practice in the 21st century – they were first held in Australia in 2001 and are now actively used in the US, Europe, and other countries. Talks about e-elections in Georgia began many years ago, but the former government refused, citing technical problems or a lack of relevant legislation.

In the 2020 parliamentary elections, voter registration and voting were conducted electronically for the first time in Georgia in the Krtsanisi region, and the same system was used in 2021 local government elections in several regions of Batumi.

Electronic elections in Georgia