Insufficient Number of Ballot Papers in Almost Every Precinct

Nino Gvaridzishvili, Kakheti

According to the information provided by the observers of Human Rights Center, there were less ballot papers than registered voters almost in every precinct they observed elections. Organizations working on election issues stated that it was violation of the Election Code and number of delivered ballot papers and envelopes shall be equal of the registered voters in every precinct. Precinct Election Commission members claimed it was not violation and never faced problems before because usually less than registered voters come to the elections. By the way, this problem existed during parliamentary elections too. Despite the recommendations of many nongovernmental organizations, CEC could not eradicate the problem for 2013 presidential elections.

Expert of election issues Nina Khatiskatsi said the CEC was entitled to resolve this problem. “First of all, the problem is with CEC, because it is entitled to ensure protection of the Rule of Law by its member subjects. In this case, CEC violated the law, when they did not give enough ballot papers and envelopes to the precincts,” Khatiskatsi noted and added that CEC had not yet requested introduction of amendments to the Article 63 Paragraph 8 of the Election Code, which states that the number of special envelopes transmitted to each PEC shall be equal to the total number of voters, but the number of ballot paper books shall equal to 50 times the number of the total number of voters in the election precinct. “CEC cannot change the note in the legislative act because this requirement is imperative and administrative body cannot change it voluntarily,” Nina Khatiskatsi.

CEC made a statement about the issue and noted that in accordance to the law, they had right to send less and not more than 50 ballot papers to precincts. They clarified that there is no clear regulation in the Election Code whether the number of transmitted ballot papers shall be less or more than 50 times the number of the total number of voters in the election precinct. “If the precincts lacked ballot papers, they could apply to the DECs and request additional ballot papers; so we could resolve the problem,” CEC Spokesperson Eka Arazashvili said.