The mayoral candidate of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party in the western city of Kutaisi, Khatia Dekanoidze, vows she will introduce the position of sheriff if she wins the run-off on October 30. 

A sheriff is a peace officer who holds public office. 

Voters generally elect their sheriff once every four years.

Dekanoidze, who chaired Georgia’s Police Academy under the United National Movement government between 2007 and 2012 and also headed the Ukrainian national police in 2015-2017, also promised Kutaisi will have the ‘most transparent budget.’ 

Dekanoidze and the ruling Georgian Dream candidate Ioseb Khakhaleishvili will compete in the second round of elections. 

In the first round of the race, on October 2, Dekanoidze came first. However, none of the candidates were able to garner at least 50%+1 of the vote to win the elections.