The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has actively observed the elections of legislative, executive and local government bodies since its founding (in 1994), trying to contribute to the conduct of elections in a calm and fair environment and to the steadfast observance of the Georgian legislation during electoral processes.
The GYLA will be observing the election day of the October 8 parliamentary elections in Tbilisi and nine regions – Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Guria, Imereti, and Adjara.
Static observers will be deployed to 400 electoral precincts across Georgia. We will be able to observe the processes taking place at problematic precincts and in areas adjacent to them through 100 mobile groups in 61 majoritarian districts. In view of the organization’s experience in election observation, we will be focusing on precincts set up in exceptional cases and on problematic precincts identified during the previous elections. [1] The observation will also take place in districts densely populated by national minorities, which will be observed by the monitors of both the GYLA and the public movement “Multinational Georgia”, in the framework of the GYLA’s program on the exercise of political/electoral rights of ethnic minorities. [2]
Observation will take place in the following districts of the nine regions of the country:
22 majoritarian electoral districts of Tbilisi, as well as those of:
Batumi;
Kobuleti;
Khelvachauri;
Kutaisi;
Tskaltubo;
Terjola;
Baghdati;
Tkibuli;
Kharagauli;
Zestaponi;
Khoni;
Vani;
Ozurgeti;
Lanchkhuti;
Chokhatauri;
Zugdidi;
Tsalenjikha;
Senaki;
Martvili;
Gori;
Kareli;
Kaspi;
Khashuri;
Akhaltsikhe;
Adigeni;
Borjomi;
Rustavi;
Marneuli;
Bolnisi;
Dmanisi;
Tsalka;
Gardabani;
Tetritskaro;
Telavi;
Lagodekhi;
Kvareli;
Akhmeta;
Sagarejo;
Dusheti.
On the election day, the GYLA will be operating a special hotline by which citizens will be able to get legal advice regarding the polling procedures. The GYLA will also be operating a hotline for journalists and media organizations. By calling the hotline, journalists and media organizations will be able to get information that is interesting for them and legal consultation about electoral procedures, violations on the polling day, and the response provided, as well as to provide us with information about violations they have observed on the polling day.
On the election day, the GYLA – through its observers and analysts deployed to all the regions of Georgia – will be entering information into its electoral-analytical database in real time and analyzing it.
The hotline number is 223-63-48.
To get comprehensive information about violations on the election day, you can also visit www.electionsportal.ge where you will be able to write about violations you have observed by filling out an online form or sending a free-of-charge text message to this number: 90039.
During the day, the GYLA will hold four press conferences regarding the observation of the election day at the media center for non-governmental organizations (address: 1 Freedom Square).
The press conferences will be held at 10 A.M., 2 P.M., 6 P.M., and 9 P.M., and on October 9, the GYLA will assess the election day and hold a press conference at 12 A.M.
The GYLA’s monitoring mission of the polling day of the parliamentary elections was made possible by the funding of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Open Society – Georgia foundation. The opinions expressed in the statement belong to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, and their content may not express the views of the donor organizations.
[1] The said precincts were identified due to violations identified by the GYLA’s observers in the previous elections.
[2] The program is being implemented in the framework of the GYLA’s project implemented with the funding of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
