CEC Approves First Round Vote Tally
The Central Election Commission (CEC) approved on November 14 the final vote tally of the first round of presidential elections.
According to the CEC protocol, 1,647,878 voters turned out at polling stations on October 28, representing 46.83% of registered voters. 53,847 ballots were annulled, a much higher figure than in the previous presidential elections in 2013 (30,101).
The final election result is as follows:
- Salome Zurabishvili, independent/ruling party-backed – 615,572 votes (38.64%);
- Grigol Vashadze, opposition coalition led by the United National Movement – 601,224 votes (37.74%);
- Davit Bakradze, European Georgia – 174,849 votes (10.97%);
- Shalva Natelashvili, Labor Party – 59,651 votes (3.74%);
- Davit Usupashvili, Free Democrats/Development Movement – 36,037 votes (2.26%);
- Zurab Japaridze, New Political Center-Girchi – 36,034 votes (2.26%);
- Kakha Kukava, Free Georgia – 21,186 votes (1.33%).
Other 18 candidates garnered less than 1% of votes each.
Runoff between the two top contenders – Salome Zurabishvili and Grigol Vashadze – will be held on Wednesday, November 28.
According to the election administration, a total of 3,705 polling stations will be opened for the runoff, including 55 abroad. Voting at two polling stations for Georgian troops stationed in Afghanistan will be held on November 26.
This is the last time Georgian citizens are electing their president, replacing incumbent President Giorgi Margvelashvili, who has been in office since October, 2013.
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