preparing_voting-papers_at_number_4_precinct_Tbilisi_2013

Voting-papers being prepared at precinct no 4 in Tbilisi on Sunday. (DF Watch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Today, Georgia is holding presidential election. This is the sixth presidential election in the country, but since Mikheil Saakashvili and Eduard Shevardnadze were elected twice, people will elect the fourth president of Georgia.

There are 23 candidates to choose from. Nine of them are presented by political parties, while 12 by initiative groups.

Numbers of candidates are the following:

1. Tamaz Bibiluri (initiative group);

2. Giorgi Liluashvili (initiative group);

3. Sergo Javakhadze (For Fair Georgia;

4. Koba Davitashvili (People’s Party);

5. Davit Bakradze (United National Movement);

6. Akaki Asatiani (Georgian Traditionalists’ Union);

7. Nino Chanishvili (initiative group);

8. Teimuraz Bobokhidze (initiative group);

9. Shalva Natelashvili (Labor Party);

10. Giorgi Targamadze (Christian Democrats);

11. Levan Chachua (initiative group);

12. Nestan Kirtadze (initiative group);

13. Giorgi Chikhladze (initiative group);

14. Nino Burjanadze (Democratic Movement United Georgia);

15. Zurab Kharatishvili (Georgia’s European Democrats);

16. Mikheil Saluashvili (initiative group);

17. Kartlos Gharibashvili (initiative group);

18. Mamuka Chokhonelidze (initiative group);

19. Avtandil Margiani (initiative group);

20. Nugzar Avaliani (initiative group);

21. Mamuka Melikishvili (initiative group);

22. Teimuraz Mzhavia (Christian Democratic People’s Party);

41. Giorgi Margvelashvili (Georgian Dream Democratic Georgia).

There are 73 election districts with 3 537 719 people entitled to vote in total. The number of precincts is 3 741, out of whicvh 3 689 are inside Georgia, and 52 are abroad.

Saturday evening, the Central Election Commission (CEC) summed up the situation before Election Day, saying everything is ready, and expressing hope that the election will end without problems.

On Saturday, Tamar Zhvania, head of CEC, and other CEC members met with 42 representatives of the election administrations of 17 other countries who will observe the election at different precincts and leave the country on October 29. Zhvania gave them a summary of the election process.

60 local and 65 international organizations will observe the election. 152 media outlets will also be observing.