Ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections, the Government of Georgia launched a comprehensive voter education campaign to ensure all voters – including those who reside abroad – have the information and access they need to cast their ballots. In accordance with its goal to ensure all eligible Georgians are able to vote, Georgia’s Central Election Commission announced the opening of seven additional polling stations around the world – bringing the total up to 67 polling stations in 42 countries.
Currently, there are 95,834 registered voters who are eligible to cast their ballot from abroad, and the Government of Georgia has made it a priority to ensure they are empowered to participate in the elections. As a result, the CEC will open additional polling stations in New York (USA), Berlin (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Rome (Italy), Athens and Thessaloniki (Greece), and Paris (France).
In a statement, the CEC said: “In total, 67 polling stations will be accessible to Georgian voters across 42 countries. According to Georgian election law, polling stations abroad must serve a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 3,000 voters registered with the consular service.”
As it works toward implementing the necessary conditions for EU accession, the Government of Georgia is working diligently to ensure as many voters as possible can participate in elections and that all votes cast are fair and secure. The opening of additional polling stations abroad marks another major step toward attaining that goal.