Georgia Votes in Runoffs on Saturday Amid Opposition Boycott

Runoff elections will be held in Georgia’s 17 single-mandate majoritarian constituencies on November 21, Saturday, amid “complete ignore” from the opposition parties.

There are 2,140,210, voters, including 1,003,212 voters from Tbilisi’s all of the eight majoritarian districts, eligible to cast their ballots, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

The election administration also approved a list of 4,095 quarantined, hospitalized, or self-isolated persons to vote at special polling stations, while 985 voters will use the mobile ballot box.

October 31 parliamentary elections revealed an outright winner (50%+1 vote) in 13 districts, all from the ruling Georgian Dream party. To enter the parliament through a runoff vote, a candidate must win a plurality of votes.

In the remaining 17 districts heading into runoffs tomorrow, the ruling party majoritarian hopefuls will face opponents from the United National Movement, European Georgia, Girchi, Labor and Citizens parties. Opposition leaders have announced their intentions not to contest the second round, their names will, however, remain on the ballot as such drop-outs are not foreseen by the legislation.

The majoritarian districts going into runoffs are Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda, Vake, Saburtalo, Isani, Samgori, Didube, Nadzaladevi, Gldani single-mandate districts; Outside the capital: Mtskheta, Dusheti, Tianeti, and Kazbegi district; Telavi, Akhmeta, Kvareli and Lagodekhi district; Rustavi; Khashuri and Kareli district; Tkibuli, Terjola, Zestaponi and Bagdati district; Kutaisi Municipality; Zugdidi; Batumi; Khelvachauri, Keda, Shuakhevi, and Khulo.

Proportional Majoritarian Maj. II Round

Also on November 21, GD and UNM candidates, Ioseb Khakhaleishvili and Grigol Shushania, respectively, will face off in the runoff for Kutaisi mayoral snap elections.

Georgia’s new 150-member parliament will be composed of 120 lawmakers elected through proportional-party vote, and 30 MPs elected as majoritarians.

So far, the ruling party has secured 74 mandates, falling short of two seats to secure a simple majority of 76 parliamentary mandates, necessary to form a single-party government.

As things stand, all of the eight opposition parties that passed the 1% election threshold, are rejecting the election results and are refusing to enter the next parliament, as well as to participate in tomorrow’s runoffs.

The opposition parties are demanding snap elections, the resignation of CEC chair Tamar Zhvania, as well as the release of alleged political prisoners.

The Georgian Dream and the eight opposition parties began a political dialogue over the looming crisis through the facilitation of the EU, U.S. Ambassadors on November 12, with second-round talks held on November 14 and individual consultations of the opposition parties with the Ambassadors on November 20.

Follow our Election Live Blog for more updates.

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