Voters turnout reached 42,3% in Kutaisi

Shorena Kakabadze

On October 8, out of 161 709 voters 68 500 voters expressed their position in Kutaisi. 2 out of 129precincts were canceled. As representatives of the District Election Commission #59, said,  42,3% of voters participated in the elections that is 12% less in comparison to prior elections. 

As it is estimated now, the local voters will have to express their position once again, because as in almost every district throughout the country, the second round is predicted in Kutaisi too. 

“In all 3 single mandate districts there will be second round in Kutaisi, because none of the 35 candidates from the political parties managed to overcome the barrier. In the proportional system, only two parties went through: the Georgian Dream and the United National Movement. NGOs and representatives of different opposition parties filed 22 complaints to the DEC and mainly they indicated at procedural miscarriages, which could not influence the final results of the elections. There are no complaints about final protocols yet. If political parties have such kind of complaints, they have two days to present them”, - Avtandil Osepaishvili, the chairman of Kutaisi DEC #59, declared. 

According to the ballot results, in all polling stations in Kutaisi the Georgian Dream took the majority of votes – 53, 42%. The UNM collected 24, 61%, its candidate Gigi Tsereteli was confronted by the supporters of the Georgian Dream. They reminded Tsereteli of his political past, in particular, “the national regime”. Initially it was verbal conflict and then it turned into physical controversy. The MIA declared the investigation was launched into the incident. Local journalists were interrogated, whose technical equipment was damaged because of the incident in the polling station #90. Later, they disseminated the statement and called on all representatives of political parties to stop interference int their work.