CEC Official: Voting in Georgia’s Vani Municipal By-Election Proceeding Calmly

Voting in a municipal by-election in Vani, western Georgia, is proceeding in a calm and orderly environment, according to election officials.

The vote is part of Saturday’s by-elections being held in four Georgian municipalities Vani, Tsalka, Dmanisi and Akhmeta to elect members of their respective municipal councils.

A total of 679 voters are registered at the polling station in the village of Pereta in Vani municipality, with 29 voters using a mobile ballot box. Voting at the precinct is being conducted electronically.

According to the chair of the local election commission, no disruptions have been reported so far.

Two candidates are contesting the seat in Pereta, representing the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition Strong Georgia–Lelo coalition.

Aleksandre Gogorishvili, Mayor of Vani and head of Georgian Dream’s local election campaign headquarters, said around 220 voters had cast their ballots by the time of his statement.

“The polling station opened at 8:00 a.m. Around 220 voters have already come to the polling station and cast their ballots. Turnout remains strong. As for the results, we will have them at the end of the day,” Gogorishvili said.

Gia Tsatsashvili, a member of Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC), also said voting was proceeding peacefully.

“Turnout has already exceeded 44%, which is a very good figure at this stage. It will naturally increase further by 8:00 p.m. The environment remains calm and constructive, and everything is proceeding in accordance with the procedures and the law,” Tsatsashvili said.

He added that the electronic voting technology was functioning properly and had made the voting process faster and more convenient for voters.

“We hope everything will continue in the same way until the end of the day,” he said.

Municipal council by-elections are being held on Saturday in Vani, Tsalka, Dmanisi and Akhmeta.