Extraordinary Presidential Elections, Georgia, 2008

After the dramatic political developments in October-November 2007, on November 8, the President Saakashvili announced his resignation and a decision to hold extraordinary presidential elections inJanuary 2008. In addition, holding of plebiscites on the timing of the parliamentary elections and onGeorgia’s Integration in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was also announced. PresidentSaakashvili has publicly called on both domestic and international election monitoring organizations, tosend delegations for the extraordinary presidential elections.ISFED expressed readiness to observe the elections by launching the Election Observation Mission. ISFEDcarried out fundraising activities with major donor organizations; mobilize its networks of long-termobservers and short-term activists throughout Georgia.ISFED monitored pre-election, Election Day and post-election periods and conducted parallel votetabulation and parallel turnout tabulation (PVT-PTT) on statistically significant number of pollingstations.ISFED observers filled out the standard Election Day procedure monitoring forms. ISFED Election Dayanalyses are based on findings of those forms.During Election Day ISFED observers filed 179 complaints and appeals at Precinct Election Commissions,District Election Commissions, and Central Election Commission.Based on the Election Observation Mission’s findings ISFED developed a set of recommendations forimproving the future elections processes.

The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of ISFED and can under no circumstance be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Open Society Georgian Foundation

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05.01.2008