Tamar Zhvania, Chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia shared with society the information about the preliminary results of the second round of Presidential Election. Ms. Zhvania presented the results according to 1181 (32%) counted election precincts.

According to the CEC Chairperson, preliminary election results stand as follows:

№5 Grigol Vashadze - 195 305 votes (43%)

№48 Salome Zourabichvili - 262 826 (57%)

“First of all, I would like to thank each Georgian voter, who actively participated in election and cast vote. The voter turnout was very high, almost two million voters were ready to express their will. In addition, I would like to thank all electoral stakeholders, local and international observer organizations, which were committed ensuring transparency of the electoral process and during the whole day were supporting the entire electoral process. I would like to express my gratitude towards the media representatives for their great work. I would like to also thank each member of Election Administration for the hard work they have performed, which is still in the process”- stated Tamar Zhvania.

As the CEC Chairperson underlined, all media outlets, society will have an opportunity to receive updated information on preliminary election results from the Central Election Commission.

“District Election Commissions still receive the summary protocols. The protocols are being uploaded only after completing all procedures by election precincts. After submitting summary protocols to the DECs and uploading the protocols in the system, the official preliminary election results are counted. However, there are several election precincts, where the process is ongoing and we are waiting for the summary protocols. Accordingly, during the night we will update results and you will have an opportunity to gradually receive preliminary results”- stated CEC Chairperson.

Tamar Zhvania also talked about the complaints submitted to the DECs. As of now, 289 complaints are submitted. “Complaints are being submitted according to the certain rule. Within two days after drawing up the summary protocols, they can be appealed at the DECs. DECs discuss the complaints within the two-day term. During the E-day, Election Administration was ready to ensure relevant response to any procedural or any other type of malpractices. All complaints having considerable grounds, and not only, will be discussed and the relevant decision will be made within the term defined by the law”- stated CEC Chairperson at the news briefing.

Tomorrow, on November 28, the Second Round of Election of President of Georgia will be held. With regard to the election, today, Ana Mikeladze Spokesperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia held the final news briefing.

3 703 electoral precincts are ready to hold elections, including 55 precincts abroad and 11 precincts established in exceptional cases.

Voters will cast their votes in the Second Round of Presidential Election of Georgia at the same electoral precincts which were opened for the First Round of October 28 Presidential Election where they already participated in the polling.

“It should be underlined that electoral precincts opened abroad tomorrow will work for additional hours and voting procedure will last until 24:00 according to the local time of respective country which will give our fellow citizens more opportunity to use their constitutional right.

In reference to Afghanistan, the Georgian armed forces serving in Afghanistan voted yesterday. Their votes will be counted on November 28th at the CEC after the end of polling in Georgia”, stated Ana Mikeladze.

On November 28, two candidates will participate in the presidential election, namely, №5 Grigol Vashadze and №48 Salome Zourabichvili.

Tomorrow the voter will be given one ballot paper where he/she should mark sequence number of only one desired candidate. In case sequence number of more than one candidate is marked, or all candidates are crossed or no sequence number of any candidate is marked, such ballot papers will be annulled and won’t be deemed as a valid vote. It is noteworthy that the rule to fill in the ballot paper is publicly displayed at all electoral precincts and is available to voters.

“We would like to remind you that voting is secret. Any kind of control over the will of the voter is unacceptable. Herewith, I would like to underline that photo-video recording in the polling booth is forbidden,” noted Spokesperson.

On November 28th, at 08:00 morning all electoral precincts will be ready to serve the voters. Ballot papers are handed out to electoral districts which are printed into Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani languages and trilingual ballot papers (Georgian-Azerbaijani-Armenian) are printed for four precincts. The process of distributing the electoral documentation and relevant materials to precincts is underway.

The total number of voters amounts to 3 528 658 for the November 28 elections.

It is worth mentioning that for November 28 elections are registered and will be monitoring elections up to 17 000 proxies of electoral subjects, more than 48 000 domestic observers and more than 1300 international observers. Up to 2 300 journalists will cover the electoral process.

On November 28, at 20:00, once the polling process is completed vote counting procedures will begin. Following the completion of all official procedures at the polling station, the PEC summary protocols will be sent to relevant District Election Commissions (DECs). DECs through the special program, in earliest possible time, will electronically send summary protocols to the CEC and CEC upon its receipt will gradually upload summary protocols at special website www.results.cec.gov.ge.

It is noteworthy that for ensuring transparency of the electoral processes, the CEC enables every interested person to observe the process of summarizing the preliminary results at the CEC via internet livestream. A 360-degree camera will be used to broadcast the process through CEC official Facebook account, Youtube and CEC official website”.

CEC Call Center - 2 51 00 51 and online chat of the Central Election Commission will operate for 24 hours. Persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities may also enjoy the same services from the CEC Call Center. Citizens may address the CEC and receive any election-related information.

On November 28, Media Center will also operate continuously at the CEC enabling representatives of the media and observer organizations to receive relevant information. The news briefings will be regularly held during the whole day at Media Center.

“We call on voters to actively participate in the elections. We also call on all electoral stakeholders to support the conduct of elections in a calm and accessible environment for everybody and the realization of the free will of the electorate”, stated Ana Mikeladze.