CEC Sets Runoff, Repeat Elections Dates
Central Election Commission (CEC) set on Wednesday dates for second round contests for majoritarian MP seats in single-mandate constituencies and for repeat elections for majoritarian MP in four precincts.
Repeat elections in four precincts will be held on October 22 and second round runoffs will be held on October 30.
Also on October 30, second round of local by-elections will be held for mayoral race in Akhaltsikhe, and for gamgebeli (head of municipality) in Bolnisi and Kharagauli.
Second round runoffs for majoritarian MP seats will be held in at least 48 single-mandate constituencies out of total 73.
The number may increase to 50, depending on repeat elections in Marneuli election district’s No.48 precinct and Zugdidi election district’s three precincts – No.38, No.79, and No.108. Invalidating of these three precincts in Zugdidi will also require repeat local by-election there for gamgebeli on October 22, which should decide whether there will be an outright winner or the race will go into second round.
Voting in precinct No.48 of election district No.36 in the village of Kizilajlo of the Marneuli municipality was disrupted by a violent incident when a group of opposition supporters tried to storm the polling station. Six men were arrested and sent to pretrial detention in connection to the incident.
UNM party’s majoritarian MP candidate Akmamed Imamquliyev is leading the race in Marneuli over his closest competitor, GDDG’s Tamaz Naveriani, with 47.91% to 43.41% of votes. Imamquliyev, according to preliminary results, has a lead by a margin of 907 votes and the repeat vote at the invalidated precinct should decide the outcome of the race in Marneuli – whether there will be an outright winner or the race will go into the second round.
Outcome of repeat elections in Zugdidi’s three precincts should also decide whether there will be an outright winner or a second round.
Georgia’s ex-first lady Sandra Roelofs of UNM and GDDG’s Edisher Toloraia are the main contenders for the majoritarian MP seat from that election district of Zugdidi – the latter has a lead by a margin of 372 votes.
Two precincts in Zugdidi municipality – No.79 and No.108, in the village of Jikhashkari were invalidated after they were raided during which polling materials were destroyed. Two men were arrested in connection to these incidents – one of the, supporter of the GDDG ruling party was sent to pretrial detention.
CEC has requested the government to allocate GEL 4.7 million additional funding for holding repeat and second round elections.
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