Documents

ISFED and partner NGOs have released a statement about the ongoing electoral reform working group and proposed legislative changes drafted by the Georgian Dream. ISFED positively assesses the changes proposed to the Law on Political Unions of Citizens in relation to the change of the political party finance regulations and move to a so called regressive rule of financing. However, draft amendments to the Election Code proposed by the ruling party contain a number of problematic issues and if adopted, they will have a detrimental effect on the electoral environment ahead of the 2020 elections.

ISFED presents 2nd statement including assessment of the voting process and PVT results. According to it, while at majority of electoral precincts the Election Day was mostly free from any major violations, the voting process progressed amid tension, especially in electoral districts of Zugdidi and Marneuli. At or near several electoral precincts, physical and verbal confrontation took place, which in some cases was accompanied by commotion at polling places and disruption of voting process.

The report presents an overview and analysis of the key findings from the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy’s observation mission of the pre-election, Election Day, election runoff and post-election periods of the Presidential election in 2018.  At the same time, it provides assessment of the work of key administrative bodies involved in elections.  Drawing upon the findings, ISFED offers 42 recommendations for improvement of the electoral environment in Georgia. 

Based on the observation, ISFED can conclude that the tabulation of votes was mostly conducted in compliance with relevant electoral procedures. Similarly to the voting process, number of violations were reported during counting of votes, such as, improper filling of summary protocols and other procedural shortcomings. Incidents of violence were identified in Marneuli and Lagodekhi after closing of polling stations.  ISFED filed 53 complaints with Precinct Electoral Commissions (PECs) and 76 complaints with District Electoral Commissions (DECs).   

According to ISFED observers, the disturbing trend of mobilization of Georgian Dream party activists and so called coordinators outside of polling stations with the purpose of tracking the voters still continues. In isolated cases, PECs members were themselves tracking the voters who came or did not come to the polling stations. This is the continuation of a negative trend established in Georgia and it represents an attempt to control the free will of voters. At the moment of the statement ISFED has filed 37 complaints at the PECs and 38 complaints at the DECs. 

On November 21, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) published a report of pre-election monitoring of the runoff of the 2018 presidential election. The document covers the period from October 29 to November 19.The election campaign before the runoff was far more polarized and negative than the campaign before first round of the election. During the period between the first and the second round of the election, aggressive rhetoric has intensified. Right after the first round ended, the ruling party representatives made alarming statements and prognoses about threats of civil war and possible destabilization if the opposition candidate wins.

On October 25, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) presented the third interim report of monitoring the 2018 presidential election of Georgia. The document covers the period of October 1 – 24, it also summarizes developments that began to unfold prior to October 1 but became known during the monitoring period. During the monitoring period ISFED identified: 13 cases of possible pressure and coercion; 5 cases of physical confrontation and violence; 7 cases of misuse of administrative resources; 4 cases of possible vote buying; 11 cases of interference with election campaigning; 14 cases of participation in campaigning in violation of law; 40 cases of damaging campaign materials.