CEC: Voter Turnout 8.34% at 10am

292,957 voters, accounting for 8.34% of total number of voters, cast ballot in the parliamentary elections by 10am, two hours after the polling stations were opened, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

The voter turnout by the same time in previous parliamentary elections in 2012 stood at 10.3%.

The highest voter turnout – 13.1% – as of 10am was reported in the election district No.58, covering Ambrolauri, Oni, Tsageri, Lentekhi and Mestia municipalities.

The lowest voter turnout by 10am was in the election district No.31 in Gardabani – 6.1%.

“Voting process is ongoing in calm atmosphere,” CEC spokesperson, Anna Mikeladze, said at a news briefing at 11am on Saturday. 

She also said that few polling stations out of total 3,645 precincts across the country were opened with a slight delay, but voting is now ongoing there.

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Georgia’s largest election observer organization, said that procedures related to opening of the polling stations were carried out “without substantial violations.”

ISFED said that 4.2% of polling stations were not prepared for opening at exactly 8am – the figure is lower compared to 8.8% in 2012 elections, according to the monitoring group. Voting at these polling stations started with a slight delay, ISFED said, but now elections are ongoing there.