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POST-ELECTION UPDATE:
The Election Day monitoring
organized by the GEAP and the analysis of both international and
domestic observer organizations showed that great progress has
been achieved in a relatively short time for the compilation of
improved voter lists. Also, the functioning of the precinct
designed by the Central Election Commission to demonstrate that
non-partisan precinct election commissions can successfully
replace larger, politically appointed commissions, proved
successful. Visited by two GEAP monitoring teams as well as by
most observer organizations, the ‘pilot’ electoral precinct,
composed of eleven students instead of fifteen political
appointees, was deemed one of the most efficiently run electoral
precinct. Importantly, all of this precinct’s commission members
had been trained, unlike in the case of the rest of precinct
commissions throughout Georgia. The overall success of this
project will be used by the CEC as a basis for the development
of a comprehensive reform of the election administration
structures in the aftermath of these elections.
Of notable relevance to the
commended improvement in the conduct of these elections was the
enhanced communication between the CEC and the lower level
Election Commissions. Already partially achieved for the January
Presidential Election, adequate levels of communication leading
to successful implementation of election operations were
reached, among other, through the organization of the District
Election Commissioner’s retreat, organized at the recommendation
and with the support of the GEAP.
In the context of wrapping up the
Parliamentary Elections, GEAP advice on restructuring the
internal administration structure was provided and will be
accompanied by recommendations for the design of an enhanced
results protocol and the design of the voter lists. In an
attempt to institutionalize the improvement achieved by this
election administration, a number of initiatives have been
planned by the expert in co-ordination with the CEC. In addition
to the voter survey, which will allow for an even higher degree
of transparency of the CEC’s work, a post-election DEC retreat
and a roundtable conference to bring together all actors and
stakeholders having contributed to the organization and
monitoring of the two election processes for which the GEAP was
established. The round-table conference will aim at summing up
best practices and lessons learned from the Presidential and
Parliamentary elections organized by the new CEC in 2004 and at
providing this Commission with the necessary recommendations to
serve as basis for a much needed election legislation and
administrative structures reform.
18 MARCH 2004 UPDATE:
In order to ensure that all
citizens of Georgia with the right to vote are enfranchised on
Election Day, the CEC, with the support of local
non-governmental organizations, has developed a project whereby
special voting procedures are in place to allow voters with
visual impairments to cast a ballot without assistance. The OSCE
drafted recommendations and provided advice to the CEC Project
Co-ordinator on the development of the project.
The CEC has also commenced
discussions with a local statistics company to develop a voter
survey which will enable the election administration to better
evaluate its performance for the 28 March elections. The results
of the voter survey could also be used to strengthen the basis
for the future legislative and structural reform of the election
administration. OSCE technical expertise in defining the needs
for the voter survey will be accompanied by specific
recommendations for the design of the questionnaire.
10 MARCH 2004 UPDATE:
While technical preparations for Election Day
are well underway, the Central Election Commission has commenced
negotiations with various state agencies for a post-election
long-term reform process. For this purpose, the OSCE-GEAP expert
advised the Central Election Commission on objectives and
benchmarks for reform, covering the strategy for the revision of
the electoral legislative framework and the strategy for the
institutional restructuring of the election administration. With
the support of the expert, a comprehensive strategy for reform
was developed for public presentation at the Central Election
Commission session of 4 March and at a Press Conference on 10
March.
Accompanying the initiative for long-term reform, an
experimental project was designed by the Central Election
Commission and supported by the GEAP to demonstrate that
non-partisan precinct election commissions can successfully
replace over-sized, politically appointed commissions. To this
effect, an eleven member commission was appointed on 28 February
and has since successfully started its activities.
3
MARCH 2004 UPDATE:
On 28-30 February 2004, the expert participated in the Training
of Trainers organized by the CEC, IFES and UNDP, to assist the
CEC with detailed information on procedural matters. Also,
technical assistance continues to be provided to the Central
Election Commission on issues related to a comprehensive
strategy for reform. The assistance will continue with support
for a roundtable, organized in conjunction with the Ministry of
Justice, where the CEC will announce their strategy for reform,
as well as the importance to have a joint plan with the Civil
Registration Department of the Ministry of Justice for a
sustainable development of a civil/voter register.
24 FEBRUARY 2004 UPDATE:
The CEC has allocated the necessary office
space for the Election Expert. Upon the advisor's
recommendation, on 14-15 February 2004 the Central Election
Commission (CEC) held a coordination meeting in Batumi with the
Chairpersons of the District Election Commissions (DECs). The
CEC updated DEC Chairs on activities of the CEC and solicited
input from the DEC Chairs on how to deal with different issues.
The event was funded through this project in order to support
the CEC to collect input from the DEC level of the election
administration. It is envisaged that a similar post-election
meeting will be held to evaluate the functioning of the election
administration. Also, the expert participates in weekly
Technical Advisory Boards held by the CEC on Voter Registration
issues. Advise was given on issues related to the result
protocol sheet development and to the strategy for reform beyond
the Parliamentary elections.
11
FEBRUARY 2004 UPDATE:
The
CEC has already allocated the necessary office space and
negotiations on the details of a MoU between the OSCE and the
CEC are ongoing.
BACKGROUND
Through the provision of an
Election Expert and an Election Assistant hired by the Mission
and based in the CEC, technical expertise accompanied by
financial support will be provided to the CEC senior management.
Special consideration will be given to increasing sustainability
of operations, building a confidence in the voter list and
creating a permanent CEC technical apparatus as well as
supporting the successful transfer of registration data between
the relevant authorities.
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