Tbilisi Mayoral Candidates Cast Ballots
Four mayoral candidates in Tbilisi have already cast their ballots in the October 21 municipal elections.
Elene Khoshtaria of the European Georgia was the first mayoral candidate to show up at the polling station. “I gave my vote to the return of the faith that we can ourselves make the city convenient, just, and people-oriented… I feel very enthusiastic about assuming this mandate,” Khoshtaria noted.
Georgian Dream’s mayoral candidate Kakha Kaladze spoke to the reporters as well. “I made a choice for having an ecologically clean city and organized urban transport; for preventing chaotic constructions … I believe that we will manage to do this together,” Kaladze said.
Zaal Udumashvili, United National Movement’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate, cast his ballot as well and called on the voters to go to the polling stations. “I cast my ballot for successful Tbilisi; I cast my ballot for the future of my children; I cast my ballot for the city that is oriented to its people and Tbilisites. Today is a very important day and I want to urge the voters to be active and to make their choice, because you will be the one deciding the fate of this city today,” Udumashvili said.
Aleko Elisashvili, an independent Tbilisi mayoral candidate, who showed up at the polling station together with his family members, said he voted for “changes.” “The city needs changes as a breath of fresh air. My family and I voted exactly for these changes. We have to save this city and I believe that this evening we will learn that our city has been saved,” Elisashvili added.
Tbilisi, the country’s capital and home to one roughly third of its voters (943,423 registered voters), is electing a Mayor and a 50-member Sakrebulo today.