Open Palm: Another Signal to Circle “Five”

Vote Rigging in Kutaisi

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

The preliminary expectation of voters came true-elections in Kutaisi were flawed. Representatives of the local NGOs speak about various violations. Voters found strange signatures in their signature boxes. There were cases when voters received ballot papers only on majoritarian (single mandate) candidates. The votes cast were by others besides those that were supposed to be the actual voters. 

“We observed plenty of violations and we filed complaints about them. Voters discovered that somebody had already voted instead of them at the polling stations # 53 and 19 in Kutaisi. They found signatures in the space they were suppose to sign. 28 voters received ballot papers only for majoritarian candidates (single mandate) and could not vote for those on the list for political parties. It happened at the PS # 88 where some other violations also occurred. We will follow up our complaints to the very end until they are properly responded to,” said Teona Gogishvili, the director of the Imereti regional organization of the International Centre for Fair Elections and Democracy.

She explained: “There were cases when people voted instead of others and commission members chose not to react.”

Voters from Kutaisi do not keep in secret that they were suppressed by the representatives of the National Movement’s local organization.

“We have built play-ground for you; we asphalted…we have now to do much more. So now all neighbors will be taken by mini-bus to the polling stations. They were taking people and on their way to PS they reminded to not to circle any voting option other than five,” said a voter.

People were persuaded to vote for the ruling party on the PS and in front of the polling booth. “They made some remarks, like open palms indicating to number 5. Commission members claimed voters could not only circle and they had support. Then they tried to enter the booth and assist them with the actual voting.  We resisted them but very often it ended with serious argument,” said Lali Mikadze, an observer from the United Opposition. 

Complaints on PS were of two kinds, and some addressed faked signatures. People voted instead of their relatives who live abroad. In complaints suitors demanded to annul the results of the vote in particular PS. Complaint was submitted to the chairperson of the Kutaisi DEC # 59. According to the Georgian Election Code, DEC shall make a decision within a day. If the commission does not satisfy the complaint, we can appeal to the decision at the court, “explained lawyer Ana Chapidze, an observer from the Young Lawyers Association. 

Observers from Kutaisi are not going to surrender so easily and they are prepared to fight. Observers state they expected similar activities from Government’s activists, and they carried out the same kind of election fraud during last year’s presidential elections.