Three mobile groups of Transparency International Georgia monitored the parliamentary by-elections in Sagarejo and Martvili single-mandate districts. The observers visited most of precincts by 8 pm (closing time of precincts), but did not attend vote-counting procedures. Based on our observations, voting processes in both districts went in calm environment and serious violations have not been observed. However, our monitors detected numerous, mostly procedural, flaws which have been usually fixed by election administration after our appeals. The following flaws have to be noted:

Low Professionalism of Precinct Election Commissions

• Similar to the previous elections, law professionalism and bad awareness of voting procedures remained one of the main challenges of precinct elections commissions. Most of detected flaws have been caused exactly due to the mention problem. Low competence of members of commissions was especially visible in those precincts which were opened in the districts densely populated by ethnic minorities;  
• In many precincts opened in Martvili our observers detected the facts when two representatives of the same organization attended the voting, while only one representative is allowed by the law. Apparently, these facts were caused by insufficient attention of precinct election commissions. In all cases mentioned problems have been solved after our observers’ appeals.

Infrastructural Problems

• Most precincts opened in the districts densely populated by ethnic minorities were not fully compatible with the needs of decent voting procedures. Many precincts were opened in very small rooms and, due to the high density, certain risks of violation of voting secrecy could emerge. In addition to that, certain precincts operated in such buildings where placing of wall voters’ lists outside the precinct was almost impossible. As a result, wall voters’ lists were pasted up inside the precincts potentially hampering the voting process.

Recommendations

• For the next elections, Central Election Commission should prioritize further training of the members of precinct election commissions, especially in the districts suffering from this problem for many years;
• All precincts should be opened in those buildings where placing of equipment needed for voting procedures could be possible.