GYLA continues  observing the course of polling day.

In general the polling process is taking place in calm environment. The violations revealed as of 14:00 p.m. are as follows:

The GYLA observers identified various types of violations and filed complaints

The GYLA oberver obtained a “supporter list”  of the Georgian Dream majoritarian candidate, Sopo Kiladze at Gldani precinct #18. Allegedly one of the activitis forgot it at the polling station. As a result of checking the list, GYLA revealed that that a voter was on the list without his/her consent.

Even during the pre-election period GYLA, based on the information received from various sourses, has raised an issue of political parties collecting the voters’ personal data.  However they were not explaining the purpose of the data collection. It is noteworthy that name, last name and personal identification number is a personal information and cannot be processed without the person’s consent.

Culpable non-performance or improper performance of the official duties by the commission members

There was a noise at the precinct #14 in Didube. According to the GYLA observer, the summary protocol was preliminary signed by the commission members. Also the ballot box was opened and the controlling sheet amended. Thus the seal intergiry of the ballot box was lost. As the members of the commission explained, they, by mistake signed the summary protocol instead of the controlling sheets. Once they found out the mistake, they decided to fix the problem and opened the ballot box. The GYLA observer filed a complaint.

The registrator inked the voter before finding him in the list of voters at precinct#5 in Samgori. It turned out that the person was not registered at that pricinct. The registrator wrote an explanation.

The member of the commission at precinct #6 in Gardabani were not giving the observer the possibility to make entries in the log-book without respective instructions from the higher election commission

There are no proper conditions at the Senaki District election Commission for fulfilling the observers’ functions. The rooms are isolated and election commission works in one room while the observers are deployed in another. We call on the District Election Commission to ensure the work of the observers.

Ensuring the photo and video shooting at the the precincts set up in exceptional cases

The media representaitves experienced problems entering the Kutaisi Penitentiary Establishment with the respective equipment aiming at video shooting.  We contacted the Minister of Corrections and Probation and  after his interference, the problem was fixed.Timely and lawful reaction on the Minister’s side deserves a positive assesment. 

Obstruction of the work of the observer

The GYLA observer’s complaint at precinct #93 was not registered. Therefore a complaint was filed.

Deficiences concerning the controlling sheets

The controlling sheets at precincts #12 and 37 in Samgori were not not filled in properly (the first voter’s address was not indicated)

Improper behavior of the representatives of the observer organisations at the precincts

Violation of the ethical norms and improper behavior by representatives of the observer organisation and the election subject was revealed precinct #1 in Batumi

There was a fact of unethical behavior by the representative of the observer organization “Movement for Freedom and Equality. These persons were removed from the polling station.

Improper Arrangement of the Polling Station

The ballot box was damaged at precinct#36 in Marneuli and following the GYLA”s observer’s indication the box was changed. The list of voters were not posted at precincts #7 and #9 in Samgori

Unauthorized person at the polling station

2 observers from one organization were present at precinct #102, in Gori (Gori-Club of New Initiators) and precinct #27 in Kaspi (Choice of the future).  Following GYLA observer’s indication, the problem was eradicated.

Unauthorized persons outside the polling stations

The persons are mobilised outside the polling stations who are registering the voters.  This represents an indirect control on the voter’s will which is a problem. These facts indicate that there is a need of legislative regulation of the issue. More specifically  term adjacent territory of the polling station needs to be defined (Samgori precincts #24,25,26, Nadzaladevi precinct #18, Didube precinct #6,  and Lagodekhi precincts)

Information on the alleged bribery of voters

As we were informed, close to the Mtatsminda precincts, #20 and #22, the United National Movement was giving money to the voters. The GYLA observer checked the fact by going there but no such fact has been documented.

Violations revealed by the observers of the Public Movement “Multinational Georgia” representatives within the framework of GYLA project[1] on realisation of suffrage

At Marneuli precincts #36, #22 and #71 The ballot papers that were sent with the mobile ballot box did not have the registrator’s signature.

As of now,  the GYLA observers filed 62 complaints and made 48 entries (remarks) in the log-book.

 From  its foundation (1994) GYLA observes the elections of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches as well as local governance actively and tries to contribute to conducting the election in the calm, fair enviroment and observance of the respective legislation.

On 8 October GYLA will monitor the election day in Tbilisi and in 9 regions with the help of 500 observers.

400 observors are deployed in 400 precincts throughout Georgia. The mobile groups are covering 61 districts. GYLA monitors the elections in the precincts set up in exceptional cases and in the problematic ones[2] as well identified as such during the pre-election period. Also, monitoring will be conducted in the districts inhabited mainly by the minorities together with the observers of the Public Movement “Multinational Georgia” representatives. This is carried out within the framework of the GYLA programme aiming at exercising  the suffrage of the ethinical minorities.[3]

 There will be a hotline working during the election day at GYLA where the citizens can get a legal advise regarding the polling procedures. Also hot line will work for the journalists and media organisations through which they can obtain interesting information and legal consultations concerning the polling procedure, violations and possible measures. Moreover they will have a possibility to report on any violation.  

Hot line:  223-63-48

During the election day GYLA will collect the information through its electorcal-analytical database and will analyse it with the help of the analytics and observors deployed throught Georgia.

Also during the polling day, you can visit www.electionsportal.ge to get a comprehensive information regarding the violations. You can also report a problem or violation  through the online form or sms free of charge to the number  90039.

During the election day GYLA will have 3 more press conferences at the NGO media center

The following press conferences will take place at 18:00 and 21:00. GYLA will evaluate the election day and will held a press conference on 9 O’ctober at 12:00

GYLA’s election observation mission was made possible with the help of funding of the Embassy of Great Britain, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and USAID and the Open Society Georgia Foundation. The views expressed in the statements might not represent the ones of the donor organizations.

[1]The project is impelemeted within the framework of the programme finances by USAID

[2] These precincts were identified by the GYLA observers based on the results of the previous elections

[3] The programme is implemented  with the support of USAID