The Georgian Parliament has approved a controversial new version of the Election Code in its third reading with 79 votes in favor and 11 against. The amendments introduce significant changes to electoral norms and procedures.

Key points include:

  • Like municipal elections, parliamentary elections will now take place only within Georgia’s state borders, effectively preventing Georgian citizens abroad from voting.
  • Audio and video recording of votes at polling stations is prohibited.
  • The list of legal acts issued by election authorities now includes orders from district election commission chairpersons, which was not previously allowed for internal matters.
  • Procedures for reporting vote percentages in summary protocols have changed. Percentages will now be reported without rounding, with no more than five digits after the decimal.
  • Individuals with a criminal record are barred from serving as election commission members, even if their sentence only involved a fine.
  • Anyone removed from a polling station is prohibited from entering any other polling station, and authorities will track such individuals.
  • Precinct election commissions are no longer responsible for distributing voter cards.
  • Political parties may no longer nominate independent candidates on their party lists. Only party members may be nominated by parties, while independent candidates must be nominated through initiative groups. Candidates violating this rule will be denied registration or have their registration revoked.
  • The timeline for convening the first session of a municipal council has been clarified. Under the new code, the first session must be called within 14 days of the council’s term beginning, instead of 30 days after final election results.

The bill was sponsored by Archil Gorduladze, Tornike Cheishvili, Alexander Tabatadze, David Matikashvili, Rati Ionatamishvili, Aluda Ghudushauri, Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Guram Macharashvili, and Akaki Aladashvili.

Explaining the ban on audio recording at polling stations, MP David Matikashvili cited personal data protection concerns. He also argued that restricting independent candidates from party lists would strengthen party democracy. Matikashvili stated that previously, independent candidates were often “added” to party lists for political advantage and then fragmented, preventing genuine unity in political ideas and visions.

“This is about preventing one party from inserting independent candidates solely to take a specific seat and then dissolving their unity. We aim to strengthen party democracy,” Matikashvili said.