CEC chair urges Marneuli election commission to investigate ballot tampering allegations

CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili called on the Marneuli District Election Commission to urgently investigate allegations of ballot-stuffing at the Marneuli polling station, urging immediate action and transparency.

“I urge the Marneuli District Election Commission to clarify the situation, convene a commission meeting, and make the necessary decision,” Kalandarishvili said in a press briefing.

Kalandarishvili added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a criminal investigation into the alleged ballot tampering incident. He stressed the importance of prompt action by the ministry to ensure that accurate, verified information is provided to the public.

“There are concerning reports in the media and online about alleged ballot-stuffing at Marneuli’s 69th polling station. If confirmed, these incidents could undermine the extensive efforts we’ve invested in a fair election day. We will not allow isolated, orchestrated, or manipulative incidents to damage the integrity of the election,” Kalandarishvili stated. He also highlighted the need to respect the public by providing verified information and maintaining trust in the electoral process.

Kalandarishvili additionally addressed the recent incident in Baghdati’s Didveli village, where an individual damaged a verification device at polling station 23, disrupting the voting process and necessitating a shift to traditional paper ballots. “Due to high public interest, we will continue to share verified updates on all incidents as details emerge,” he said.

During the election process, a physical confrontation occurred at Marneuli’s 74th polling station. In Baghdati, at polling station 23 in the village of Didveli, an unidentified individual damaged an electoral verification device, making it necessary to switch to the traditional voting method.