Georgian elections: Voter turnout hits 41.62% UPDATED

As of 15:00 Tbilisi time, 1,454,837 voters have cast their ballots in Georgia's parliamentary elections, accounting for 41.62% of the total electorate, according to CEC spokesperson Natia Iosseliani.

According to her, the District Commission declared the results at polling station No. 69 in the Marneuli district invalid due to incidents of ballot stuffing, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

This polling station, located in the village of Sadakhlo, uses the traditional voting method where ballots are placed directly into a box rather than through a reading device.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, alleged that the ballot stuffing was executed by a member of their party's local assembly, reportedly acting on instructions from the opposition United National Movement party.

“The Marneuli District Commission assessed the situation and halted the voting process at the station. The commission convened immediately and invalidated the results from that polling station,” Iosseliani stated.

She added that video evidence indicated that the individual involved in casting the ballots was affiliated with a political party, although she did not specify which one.

In response to the incident, the Georgian Interior Ministry has launched a criminal investigation under the charge of "election falsification" concerning the ballot stuffing allegations.

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As of 12:00 PM Tbilisi time, a total of 776,726 people have cast their votes in Georgia's parliamentary elections, reflecting a turnout of 22.22% of registered voters, according to CEC Press Speaker Natia Iosseliani.

She said the elections are proceeding smoothly, although minor incidents have been reported at some polling stations, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

Iosseliani noted during a briefing that "voting is largely taking place in a calm atmosphere," but there have been instances of interference with the operations of precinct election commissions.

She urged party representatives, media personnel, and observers to refrain from disrupting the commissions and to adhere to established protocols at polling sites.

Iosseliani also highlighted some violations at polling stations. Notably, one incident involved a voter receiving two ballots, while another involved an attempt to photograph a ballot, which is illegal.

Polling stations opened at 8:00 AM on October 26, and voting will continue until 8:00 PM. Georgian citizens can vote at 3,111 polling stations, including 67 set up abroad. Approximately 3.5 million voters are registered, with over 95,000 citizens living outside Georgia eligible to participate — marking a record high.

This election cycle is significant as it introduces electronic ballot boxes in 74% of polling stations, allowing nearly 90% of voters to benefit from this technology. Alongside the electronic voting devices, a voter verification system will also be implemented.

Local television channels plan to broadcast exit poll results immediately following the conclusion of voting.

By Tamilla Hasanova