Preliminary results: ruling party leading, but run-offs expected

By Trend

A second round of mayoral elections could be needed in five large cities including Tbilisi where the ruling Georgian Dream party candidate Kakha Kaladze is leading, Trend reports citing Agenda.ge.

As of 10 a.m. October 3, the results of mayoral race are:
Tbilisi (360 precincts out of a total of 769):

Kakha Kaladze/Georgian Dream – 45.28%
Nika Melia/United National Movement – 34.27%
Rustavi (54 precincts out of a total of 88):

Nino Latsabdze/Georgian Dream – 44.92%
Davit Kirkitadze/United National Movement – 43.81%
Kutaisi (54 precincts out of a total of 124):

Khatia Dekanoidze/United National Movement – 43.84%
Iosebi Khakhaleishvili/Georgian Dream – 41.53%
Poti (19 precincts out of a total of 33):

Beka Vacharadze/Georgian Dream – 47.58%
Giorgi Ugulava/United National Movement -37.73%
Batumi (38 precincts out of a total of 105):

Giorgi Kirtadze/United National Movement – 42.6%
Archil Chikovani/Georgian Dream – 41.07%

Meanwhile, the results of proportional party lists in Tbilisi and nationwide show that the ruling party is leading, followed by UNM. Ex-prime minister Giorgi Gakharia's For Georgia party comes the third.

Results in Tbilisi (535 precincts out of a total 769):
Georgian Dream - 40.58%
UNM - 28.19%
For Georgia - 8.72%
Lelo for Georgia - 3.52%
Girchi-More Freedom - 3.21%
Ana Dolidze - For People - 2.53%
Results in Georgia (3.183 precincts out of a total 3,743):
Georgian Dream - 47.6%
UNM - 30.51%
For Georgia - 7.62%
Lelo for Georgia - 2.63%
European Georgia - 1.71%
The CEC announced its preliminary results 11 hours after the polls were closed.

Its Chair Giorgi Kalandarishvili apologized for the delay early in the morning, saying that this was caused because the CEC wanted to present ‘representative' amount of voting results to show a wider picture.

Municipal elections are held in Georgia per a mixed electoral system. Voters have to fill three ballot papers: the first ballot paper is for mayoral candidates (which are elected per a 50+1 system. The winner is the candidate who will receive at least 51 per cent of votes, otherwise a second round of elections will be held).

The second ballot paper is for majoritarian candidates in city assemblies (The winner must receive more than 40 per cent of votes in the first round of elections to win the race, otherwise a second round of elections will be held).

The third ballot paper is for parties - they will need at least 2,5 per cent of votes to receive seats in Tbilisi City Assembly and 3 per cent in other city assemblies across the country.

According to recent changes to the electoral code, 40 members in the 50-member Tbilisi City Assembly are elected per the proportional electoral system, while the remaining 10 per the majoritarian electoral system (previously the share stood at 25/25).