By-Elections Are Underway in Georgia

Parliamentary by-elections through a majoritarian election system are underway in N1 Mtatsminda election district today. The elections became necessary after the district majoritarian MP, Salome Zurabishvili, became the first female president of Georgia in November 2018.

Moreover, there are underway City Council (Sakrebulo) by-elections in Sagarejo, Akhmeta, Adigeni, Zestafoni, Chiatura, Tkibuli, Tskaltubo and Ozurgeti municipality majoritarian election districts. The elections are underway in 26 election precincts in all eight municipalities.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) also appointed Extraordinary Mayoral Elections in Marneuli, Zestafoni, Chiatura, Zugdidi and Khulo municipalities. They are underway in 362 election precincts.

The voter turnout, according to CEC, by 10 am was 6.8% (27,256 voters). The highest voter turnout in the mayoral by-elections was reported in Khulo, where 8.7% of voters cast their ballots as of 10 am, followed by Zugdidi (8.1%), which has seen a number of election-related incidents from early morning. The lowest voter turnout was reported in Marneuli – 5.7%.

Moreover, voter turnout in the Parliamentary by-elections in Mtatsminda constituency stood at 4%.

In Sakrebulo by-elections, the highest voter turnout was reported in Sagarejo, where 15.4% of voters cast their ballots as of 10 am, while the lowest voter turnout was reported in Ozurgeti – 6.3%.

Media reports that a small confrontation took place in the Zugdidi polling station No 95 between Nika Gvaramia, Director General of opposition-minded Rustavi 2 TV, and a citizen Ketevan Sordia.

Sordia told journalists that Nika Gvaramia physically assaulted her.

"Nika Gvaramia told me I had a register and asked me why I was standing here. I told him I was a citizen and had the right to be here when suddenly he ran into me and grabbed my bag," Sordia said.

Gvaramia rejects accusations and claims the woman was bribed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

By Thea Morrison