RECENT ELECTION:

Parliamentary, 21 May 2008

Description of Electoral System:

The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term. The Parliament of Georgia (Saqartvelos Parlamenti) is elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms. Of the 150 members, 75 are elected from party lists under a proportional system and 75 members are elected in single-mandate constituencies.

Electoral Systems Snapshot

(Courtesy of International IDEA)

*Click on links for definitions

WANT MORE ELECTION RELATED STATS FOR GEORGIA? Go to "election databases" on the left-hand menu of this page OR comparative data on the right-hand menu and choose your area of interest.

Past elections

(courtesy of wikipedia)

A presidential election was held in the Republic of Georgia on January 4, 2004. The election followed the resignation of former President Eduard Shevardnadze. As expected, the main opposition leader, Mikhail Saakashvili, was soon shown by exit polls to be heading for an overwhelming victory. According to preliminary results issued on January 6 by Georgia's Central Election Commission, Saakashvili won over 97% of the votes cast.

Legislative elections were held in the Georgia on March 28, 2004. The elections followed the annulment of the November 2003 legislative elections, which were widely believed to have been rigged by the former President, Eduard Shevardnadze. New elections were ordered following the resignation of Shevardnadze and the election of President Mikhail Saakashvili in January 2004.

The elections were won by the National Movement - Democrats (NMD), the party supporting President Mikhail Saakashvili. The NMD won 67% of the vote, while no other party won more than 7.6%.

As a result, the NMD won most of the 130 seats elected by proportional representation in the Georgian Parliament. Of the 20 parties contesting the elections, only the NMD and the Right Opposition bloc polled more than 7% of the vote, the threshold necessary to gain representation.

Most Recent Elections

 
Following the anti-government protests in early November, President Saakashvili proposed to hold Presidential election on January 5, 2008 instead of late 2008. He has been re-elected for five-year term.

On the same day a plebiscite was held on 2 issues

(a) Georgia's membership to NATO, which was approved by the voters;

(b) Parliamentary election date, which was approved for spring 2008.

The opposition protests were ongoing even after the Presidential Elections.

On May 21, 2008 the Parliamentary elections were held, where the ruling party "United National Movement" had about 63% of votes against the opposition's 13%. The opposition is again protesting election results.

For information about the elections  please visit the website of the Central Elections Commission of Georgia and read electoral news on the right hand side of this portal.