Ballot stuffing, ejecting observers, voter control – What election day was like in Georgia
Georgia’s special and unprecedented parliamentary elections on October 26 have concluded.
Final results are still pending, but three exit polls have been released.
According to an exit poll commissioned by the pro-government TV channel Imedi, the ruling party, Georgian Dream, won the elections. However, studies conducted for opposition TV channels Mtavari Arkhi and Formula show contrasting results.
Poll workers are currently counting the results. Since 90% of the polling stations were electronic, initial results are expected to be announced shortly.
Meanwhile, both the opposition and the ruling party are celebrating their victories.
The October 26 parliamentary elections were significantly different from previous elections in Georgia, as they were the first to be held entirely under a proportional system, with 90% of voters casting their ballots electronically.
Eighteen parties participated in the elections, and the creation of electoral blocs was prohibited, leading many opposition parties to form alliances. A party must surpass a 5% threshold to secure a seat in Parliament.
A total of 3,111 polling stations were opened across the country and abroad, with 3,508,294 voters registered.
Local and international observers indicate that these elections will determine the future of Georgia’s foreign policy. The outcome will influence whether Georgia continues its bid to join the European Union, which is currently on hold due to accusations against Georgian authorities of enacting anti-democratic laws and spreading harmful disinformation about Western partner countries.
According to the Central Election Commission of Georgia, as of 8:00 PM, voter turnout for this election was 58.9% (2,060,412 voters).
In the previous parliamentary elections in 2021, turnout at the same time was 56.11% (1,815,776 voters).
In 2012, when the government changed and Georgian Dream came to power, turnout was 60.8% (2,197,243 voters).
This article will be updated following the publication of the final results.
Ballot stuffing and fights
Voting was most heated in the regions of Kvemo Kartli, Marneuli, Zugdidi, and some areas of Tbilisi.
At around 12:30 PM, footage emerged from polling station 69 in Marneuli (Kvemo Kartli region) showing a young man stuffing a bundle of ballots into the ballot box.
A scandal erupted, voting at that station was halted, and the results were declared invalid. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation under Article 164, Part 3 (election fraud) of the Criminal Code.
Additionally, in Marneuli, Azad Kerimov, the head of the regional organization of the United National Movement, was assaulted at polling station 74. Reports indicate that an observer pointing out violations was attempted to be ejected from the square, after which unknown individuals entered the building and a physical confrontation ensued.
A representative of the National Movement and an observer from Georgian Dream clashed at polling station four in Gardabani (also in Kvemo Kartli region). According to TOK TV, a representative of Georgian Dream threw a brick at a representative of the National Movement during a fight near the polling station.
Giorgi Gotsiridze, an observer from the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), was assaulted at polling station four in Marneuli. According to the organization, the incident occurred outside the polling station.
“We report that GYLA staff/observer Giorgi Gotsiridze was attacked and physically assaulted by a commission member and an unknown individual outside polling station No. 4 in the Marneuli district. For reporting violations at this station, Giorgi Gotsiridze was threatened with physical violence. We call on the prosecutor’s office to respond immediately to this incident,” said GYLA.
At polling station 60 on the outskirts of Tbilisi in the Gldani district, a physical confrontation occurred. Video footage shows several young people attacking one of the observers.
According to Irakli Edzgveradze, a member of the Tbilisi City Council from the opposition United National Movement, the situation escalated after activist Shako Kuchashvili from Georgian Dream arrived on the scene and attempted to provoke a conflict.
The confrontation lasted over 10 minutes, during which voting at the station was effectively suspended. Police arrived later.
In the Isani district of Tbilisi, a fight broke out near polling station nine. The National Movement claims that individuals hired by the ruling party attacked their representative, Mariam Dolidze. She had to be taken to a clinic.
According to the party, the attackers were intoxicated. “After Mariam urged them to act in accordance with the law and leave the area surrounding the polling station, they used physical violence against her,” the party stated.
Verbal and physical confrontations also occurred at polling station nine in Zugdidi. Salome Melia, a member of the coalition “For Change,” told Interpressnews that her husband and cousin faced verbal and physical abuse from supporters of Georgian Dream there.
“They were standing by the polling station while I went to see what was happening around. When I returned, about 25 ‘zonders’ came to attack my husband and cousin; it was terrifying. We begged people to call the patrol, but no one did. The police arrived later. I don’t know what caused the confrontation,” Salome Melia stated.
A registrar passed away at polling station 15 in Poti. 47-year-old Nikoloz Lominadze was taken to the hospital by an ambulance after suffering a heart attack, but they were unable to save him.
Voting at the station was temporarily suspended but soon resumed.
What violations did monitoring organizations notice?
The current elections were under particularly close scrutiny from observers present at all polling stations both in Georgia and abroad.
In addition to representatives from monitoring organizations, ordinary citizens from various professions, who underwent special training beforehand, were also involved in the observation process.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) reported a total of 23,133 observers from 101 local organizations and 1,713 observers from 64 international organizations, making approximately 25,000 people in total. Additionally, over 2,800 representatives from 199 media outlets covered the elections.
Assessments from international monitoring organizations and missions will be published later. Local organizations periodically released brief statements throughout the day, reporting numerous violations at polling stations.
The joint observation mission of Georgian civil organizations, “My Voice,” monitored the parliamentary elections across all electoral districts in the country.
Between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, observers from the coalition filed 211 complaints with district commissions, 43 with regional commissions, and made 154 entries in the logbook.
The coalition also highlighted trends observed during the day, including:
- Instances of physical violence and threats
- Illegal restrictions on the rights of observers
- Cases of voting with improper documentation
- Illegal restrictions on the voting rights of electors
- Ballot stuffing/fraud
- Issues related to voting devices
- Some polling stations experienced control over voters’ choices and campaigning. Observers also noted instances of voter bribery.
According to the “Fair Elections” (ISFED) organization, by 6:00 PM, there were 76 complaints submitted to the precinct electoral commissions, 31 complaints to district commissions, and 61 entries recorded in the logbook.
The organization’s assessment indicated:
- Suspicious gatherings of people were observed at 26% of polling stations within a 100-meter radius.
- At 6% of polling stations, groups of people were standing beyond the 100-meter mark.
- At 15% of polling stations, attempts were made to record incoming voters within a 100-meter radius, carried out by party representatives, NGOs, and other individuals.
- Organized and repeated mobilization/transportation of voters to polling stations was observed at 15% of polling stations.
Journalists targeted again
As in previous years, this election did not pass without verbal and physical assaults on journalists, continuing a troubling trend from recent years.
Within 24 hours, the organization “Center for Media, Information, and Social Studies” recorded 13 cases of verbal and physical violence against journalists, along with expulsions from polling stations, affecting 25 media representatives.
In Tbilisi’s Gldani district, a reporter from Publika, Mindia Gabaidze, was verbally assaulted by unknown individuals near polling station 59. One assailant identified himself as a supporter of “Georgian Dream.”
In Tbilisi’s Isani district, a Pireli TV crew was attacked, and their equipment was damaged. Video footage obtained by the channel shows parts of their equipment thrown on the ground. Operator Paata Khachidze was attacked from behind.
At polling station 7 in Marneuli, Radio Marneuli journalists Vladimir Chkhitunidze and Tiko Davadze were verbally abused by an observer, allegedly a “Georgian Dream” supporter, who accused them of being “agents” and “selling out the country.” Additionally, the polling station chair at station 71 blocked Radio Marneuli journalists from recording.
In Rustavi, Radio Liberty journalist David Mchedlidze faced verbal abuse at polling station 33, where someone also tried to seize his phone after he attempted to film individuals he suspected were registering voters as they arrived.
Near polling station 16 in the village of Kvemo Khodasheni in Telavi district, a Pirveli TV crew was attacked, reportedly by “Georgian Dream” supporters after the crew filmed what they believed to be instances of voter pressure and bribery.
In the Kakheti region, Mtavari journalists Ia Guliashvili and Levan Dvali were attacked by an individual connected to “Georgian Dream,” who prevented them from recording.
In Batumi, Mtavari and Formula TV crews were insulted and blocked from entering polling station 17.
Journalists from “Mtavari Arkhi” and “Pirveli,” Keta Tsitskishvili and Mariam Gaprindashvili, were first removed from a polling station and later verbally abused while questioning citizens near the location.
At polling station No. 11 in Akhmeta (Pankisi Gorge), “Georgian Dream” coordinators seized journalist Gela Mtivlishvili’s phone and assaulted him both physically and verbally.
In Kutaisi, “Georgian Dream” activists attacked a cnews journalist at polling station No. 2 after the journalist discovered lists tracking voters’ personal data. In Batumi, TV First reporter Tamta Dolenjashvili was locked in a minibus by “Georgian Dream” coordinators at polling station No. 5, with one of the coordinators threatening her with jail.
Unprecedented mobilization of migrants
The 2024 parliamentary elections saw an unprecedented mobilization of Georgian emigrants. Sixty-seven polling stations opened abroad, registering 95,910 voters. Social media is full of images of long queues at polling sites worldwide.
Preliminary results are available from several overseas polling stations with low voter turnout.
For instance, in China, 47 of the 57 voters supported the opposition, while 10 voted for “Georgian Dream.” The distribution was as follows:
- Coalition for Change — 18 votes (31.6%)
- Unity – National Movement — 4 votes (7.01%)
- Strong Georgia — 10 votes (17.5%)
- For Georgia — 8 votes (14.03%)
- Georgian Dream — 10 votes (17.5%)
In Seoul, South Korea, only two of the 26 voters supported “Georgian Dream.” The votes were distributed as follows:
- Coalition for Change — 8 votes
- Unity – National Movement — 2 votes
- Strong Georgia — 5 votes
- For Georgia — 9 votes
- Georgian Dream — 2 votes
Significance of the elections
- On October 26, 2024, Georgia elected its 11th Parliament for a four-year term.
- As a parliamentary republic, Georgia’s government for the next four years will be led by the winning party in this election.
- This parliament will be the first without a majority party.
- There is a strong likelihood that Georgia may have a coalition government for the first time in its history.
