Georgia Votes in Snap Polls

As of midday, elections are underway in a calm atmosphere, the Central Election Commission (CEC) and observers said.

All 3,512 polling stations throughout Georgia, with the exception of one in a high-mountainous region, were open for today’s presidential election, according to the CEC. Heavy snow in Shatili, where up to 130 voters are registered, thwarted polls.

An election watchdog, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), said minor technical problems had been observed at some polling stations, mainly related with delays in opening polling stations at exactly 8am. ISFED also noted that its observers were initially not allowed to observer elections at ten precincts; however, later the problem was resolved.

Another election watchdog organization, New Generation – New Initiative (nGnI), said that although in general the elections are being held normally, there have been some cases of “serious violations” at some of polling stations in Tbilisi.

The opposition Labor and New Rights parties said that their representatives had been prevented by police from reaching the villages of Nuli and Avnevi in the South Ossetian conflict zone. The opposition has also alleged that their representatives were “forced out” from three polling stations in Tsalka, in southern Georgia. CEC spokesperson Irakli Porchkhidze, however, said it was not possible to confirm this. 

Meanwhile, all presidential candidates, except Badri Patarkatsishvili who is out of the country, have already cast their ballots.

Levan Gachechiladze, a presidential candidate backed by the nine-party opposition coalition, told reporters after casting his ballot, that he had voted for “Georgia first and foremost” – his pre-election slogan. “I am in a combative mood,” he added.

Davit Gamkrelidze, a presidential candidate and leader of the New Rights Party, said he hoped that people would “make a wise decision.” He also complained about, as he put it, “a great deal of violations” already observed during the election.

Shalva Natelashvili, the leader of the Labor Party, called for a high voter turnout and said: “I am ready to save our native country in a very short period of time.”

Incumbent presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili told reporters after voting that it wasn’t his personal future, but “Georgia’s fate [that] is being determined today.” He called on voters to turn out at polling stations, “despite bad weather.”

Giorgi Maisashvili, leader of Party of Future, told reporters: “You are now talking with the future President… I am sure I will win.”

Irina Sarishvili, the only female presidential candidate, said: “I hope the people will win and a fair decision will be made.”

Apart from ordinary polling stations, there are an additional 73 special polling stations for soldiers, three of which are in Iraq (one in Baghdad and one in Al Kut) and Kosovo for Georgian soldiers serving there. Special polling stations have also been set up at pre-trial detention centers and hospitals.

The CEC said that it expected to announce first early official results by midnight.