ICDI releases a statement, urging the CEC not to violate rules during elections

By Anastasia Sokhadze

Friday, October 23

ICDI asks the CEC to pay attention to the issues given in this statement and respond accordingly.

The CEC is responsible for the formation of a unified voter list, its computer processing, and for posting on the official website of the CEC.

The International Center for Democratic Initiatives, one of the NGOs for Elections Together, has appealed to the CEC not to provide personal information about voters in quarantine and self-isolation.

The information is spread by the International Center for Democratic Initiatives.

According to the first paragraph of Article 5 of the Resolution of the Central Election Commission of Georgia (45/2020 of October 19th, 2020), to ensure the participation of voters in inpatient facilities and isolation (quarantine, self-isolation) and their participation in the October 31st, 2020 elections, the CEC established the lists of the special and portable ballot box of the voters of the polling station determined for exercising the right to vote.

Also, according to Article 5, Paragraph 3 of the above-mentioned Resolution, persons in inpatient medical institutions and isolation (quarantine, self-isolation), as well as, according to Article 4 of the Resolution, observers, election subjects/and based on data on representatives of other mass media no later than the 3rd day before the elections (October 28th) the CEC approves the special list of voters by decree.

Under Article 5, paragraph 3 of the Resolution, the mobile ballot box list is compiled based on the unified and special voter lists and the voters specified in Article 5, paragraph 2 of the Resolution are included in it.

According to Article 3 of the Resolution, the Interagency Coordination Council, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the LEPL Security Police Department, the LEPL Emergency Coordination and Emergency Management Agency, Within the scope of competence, in the form established by the CEC, should submit to the list of people who:

1.Due to infection with the new coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, will be placed in inpatient medical facilities and quarantine areas by polling day;

2. Will be placed in quarantine areas on election day to prevent the spread of New Coronavirus infection;

3. Based on the Resolution ¹322 of the Government of Georgia of May 23rd, 2020, will be in self-isolation for the voting day;

4. Will be treated at home according to “Management of Mild Cases of New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) at Home” - approved by Order 101-286 /the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of the Occupied Territories of Georgia.

5. Due to working conditions (medical facility and quarantine area administration staff, medical staff, technical staff, support staff, security staff), will not be able to leave the inpatient medical facility and quarantine area on the polling day.

According to Article 5, paragraph 12 of the resolution, the CEC transmits the lists of special and portable ballot boxes (versions for public information and election commission) to the relevant special group no later than 12 hours before the voting.

According to Article 31, Paragraph 4 of the Organic Law of Georgia “Election Code of Georgia” (hereinafter referred to as the “Code”/“Election Code”), the CEC is responsible for the formation of a unified voter list, its computer processing and the part belonging to public information (surname, name Photo; Date of birth; Address according to the ID card of the citizen of Georgia or the database of the Agency, as well as the address of the actual place of residence - for a person internally displaced from the occupied territory of Georgia, for a person registered without address, for a person deregistered by place of residence; By decision; date of voter registration in the unified voter list) for posting on the official website of the CEC.

Accordingly, the list provided by the agencies specified in Article 3 of the Resolution and the data indicated therein shall not be subject to issuance to the entities specified in the Election Code until the CEC approves the special voter lists.

After the approval of the special voter lists and the compilation of the mobile ballot box lists, only the public information will be issued to the subjects defined by the Electoral Code.

Accordingly, the personal numbers and telephone numbers of the persons specified in the above-mentioned decree constitute the personal information of these persons and they are not subject to issuance.