The Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced that the printing of ballots for the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for October 4 is currently underway.

The ballots are being produced across four publishing houses in Tbilisi, with CEC members and representatives from election observer organisations closely monitoring the process.

Today, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the CEC Chair, visited the Favourite Style publishing house to oversee the printing.

“This is a crucial stage, as we are producing the primary document, the ballot itself. It is essential that all interested stakeholders, including the election administration and observer organisations, oversee this process to ensure transparency and uphold public trust in this highly responsible election,” Kalandarishvili stated.

He also emphasised that quality control measures are being rigorously implemented to produce high-standard documents suitable for both modernised and traditional polling stations.

“We will oversee the process alongside election observer organisations to guarantee the production of reliable, high-quality documentation, working in collaboration with the vendor company and polygraph centres, to ensure a transparent and open election process,” he added.

According to the CEC, a total of 3,897,500 ballots, comprising three different types, are to be printed. Of these, 2,813,150 are designated for technological polling stations, and 1,084,350 for traditional polling stations. Additionally, ballots will be printed in Georgian-Armenian (103,200) and Georgian-Azerbaijani languages to accommodate ethnic minority communities.

The printing process commenced on September 12 and is expected to continue over the coming days. Once completed, the ballots will be delivered to District Election Commissions within the legal deadline, followed by distribution to Precinct Election Commissions.