The elections in Georgia: The court denied the lawsuit to open additional polling stations for emigrants

Elections for Georgian emigrants

Judge Salome Samkharadze of the Tbilisi City Court denied the lawsuit filed by the coalition “Unity — National Movement” regarding the opening of additional polling stations for Georgian citizens abroad.

In addition to the NDP (National Democratic Party), the court is also reviewing lawsuits from the non-governmental organization “Fair Elections” (ISFED) and former judge Beso Alavidze.

The plaintiffs are demanding the opening of additional polling stations in Spain, specifically in Arnedo and Valencia, in France — in Strasbourg, and in Italy — in Ostuni.

According to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, 91 percent of voters will be able to vote electronically in the parliamentary elections in October 2024. He also noted that the Georgian government plans to invite an international mission to observe the parliamentary elections.

Lost votes: What prevents Georgian emigrants from participating in parliamentary elections

According to UN data, up to 852,000 people emigrated from Georgia in 2019, and the number of emigrants has been increasing every year since 2020

Comment

One of the leaders of “Unity – National Movement,” Tamar Kordzaia, stated that all branches of power are taking “incredible actions” to prevent emigrants from exercising their right to vote on October 26.

“Today, in this building, in the Tbilisi City Court, it was once again confirmed that all branches of power are carrying out the orders of Bidzina Ivanishvili. Today, here in Hall 28, Judge Salome Samkharadze, who is a former assistant to Musuridze [one of the representatives of the so-called ‘judicial clan’ sanctioned by the U.S.] and was appointed to a lifetime position precisely for this reason, made a decision to deprive our emigrants of their right to vote. She did not overturn the decision of the CEC (Central Election Commission).

Yesterday, at the court hearing, the plaintiff’s side was physically prevented from entering the courtroom until I forced my way in. This all confirms that all branches of power are taking incredible actions to prevent the citizens of Georgia from making and defending their choice, but this is temporary. On October 26, no matter how difficult it is, they will definitely make their choice,” said Kordzaia.

"Crossing half the continent to cast a vote": Georgians abroad want to participate in Georgia elections

“They know that if a large number of Georgians living abroad participate in the elections, the ruling party will lose”

One of the main challenges for emigrants participating in elections is the lack of polling stations abroad. A large number of voters have to travel hundreds, and in some cases even thousands, of kilometers to express their civic position. This entails significant time and financial costs for Georgians living abroad, which many often cannot afford.

This is confirmed by the voter turnout among emigrants in the 2020 parliamentary elections. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), the total number of voters living abroad was 66,217, of which only 18.5 percent cast their votes.

The Central Election Commission calculates the total number of voters abroad based on Georgian citizens registered with consulates and those who register to vote 19 days before the elections. However, according to various sources, the number of emigrants significantly exceeds these figures.

Although there is no exact data on how many Georgian citizens live outside the country, according to the UN, up to 852,000 people were in emigration in 2019. Since 2020, the number of emigrants has been increasing annually.

How Moldova managed to involve emigrants in elections and can Georgia do the same?

Citizens living outside Georgia have been asking authorities for over six months to make it easier for them to vote