With the publication of the voters’ list ahead of the 1 October parliamentary election the glaring difference in the size of constituencies, and the impact that it may have on the result of the elections has become only too obvious. Despite the fact that this issue has been highlighted many times by the international community, particularly the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE no remedial action has been taken.
According to the data that has been released by the Central Elections Commission of Georgia there are 3,621,256 voters. Whilst all voters have one vote the importance of this vote varies depending on the constituency. Whilst 77 MPs are elected on a proportional party list, the other 73 are elected through single member constituencies. The size of these constituencies varies enormously with some having only a few thousand voters and others exceeding 150,000 voters.
This problem is not unique to Georgia but whereas in most countries boundary commissions constantly revise boundaries to keep the difference between the largest and the smallest constituencies within a predefined range in Georgia the situation has not been corrected. The process is not painless in many countries, as many communities insist to keeping their local MP even if they had become too small to do so. Exceptions are usually made for islands, or remote mountain communities. In urban areas however such big discrepancies are considered intolerable.
Whilst it is too late to resolve this problem in Georgia ahead of the coming elections it is already possible to see that this may become a serious issue in case of a close result.
Source CEW.
Number of Voters According to Election Districts, for the Parliamentary Elections 2012
(Table reproduced from the website of the Central Elections Commission of Georgia)
District Number of Voters
01-Mtatsminda 51,910
02-Vake 99,436
03-Saburtalo 128,740
04-Krtsanisi 47,110
05-Isani 117,646
06-Samgori 155,502
07-Chughureti 58,582
08-Didube 72,122
09-Nadzaladevi 140,623
10-Gldani 155,822
11-Sagarejo 45,793
12-Gurjaani 55,432
13-Sighnaghi 31,864
14-Dedoplistskaro 23,207
15-Lagodekhi 39,730
16-Kvareli 29,652
17-Telavi 58,005
18-Akhmeta 30,802
19-Tianeti 11,076
20-Rustavi 110,607
21-Gardabani 74,514
22-Marneuli 98,888
23-Bolnisi 58,091
24-Dmanisi 22,949
25-Tsalka 24,303
26-Tetritskaro 21,822
27-Mtskheta 44,754
28-Dusheti 26,386
29-Kazbegi 5,779
30-Kaspi 40,433
32-Gori 112,738
33-Kareli 37,647
35-Khashuri 50,446
36-Borjomi 27,609
37-Akhaltsikhe 36,524
38-Adigeni 15,755
39-Aspindza 9,868
40-Akhalkalaki 41,021
41-Ninotsminda 22,837
43-Oni 6,855
44-Ambrolauri 11,980
45-Tsageri 12,006
46-Lentekhi 5,955
47-Mestia 8,413
48-Kharagauli 20,364
49-Terjola 34,744
50-Sachkhere 44,337
51-Zestaponi 57,190
52-Baghdati 23,415
53-Vani 26,855
54-Samtredia 48,446
55-Khoni 24,260
56-Chiatura 45,397
57-Tkibuli 23,900
58-Tskaltubo 53,384
59-Kutaisi 163,654
60-Ozurgeti 64,464
61-Lanchkhuti 30,112
62-Chokhatauri 18,856
63-Abasha 22,080
64-Senaki 42,806
65-Martvili 34,625
66-Khobi 29,499
67-Zugdidi 129,170
68-Tsalenjikha 32,147
69-Chkhorotsku 23,190
70-Poti 41,658
79-Batumi 131,756
80-Keda 15,822
81-Kobuleti 69,353
82-Shuakhevi 15,311
83-Khelvachauri 48,796
84-Khulo 24,431
3,621,256
1. Among them, 77232 voters, removed from the registry on the basis of a statement of an individual or dwelling owner.
2. A mong them, 111763 voters, removed from the address registry, revealed as a result of a door-to-door campaign, implemented by the Commission for Ensuring the Accuracy of Voters’ List