Smartmatic, a company specializing in electronic voting systems, has released a statement titled “Georgia Takes Leap in Electoral Modernization with 2024 Parliamentary Vote.”

The statement highlights that Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) successfully upgraded key election processes for the 2024 parliamentary elections using Smartmatic’s technologies and services.

According to Smartmatic, the company provided the CEC with 4,876 bScan1800Plus optical scanners to process hand-marked ballots. These advanced scanners accurately capture voter selections, count votes, and consolidate results. Smartmatic also supplied 7,508 VIU Desktop electronic poll books to facilitate voter authentication, along with digital tablets for transmitting results.

“As proof of the technology’s effectiveness, 99.87% of the devices functioned flawlessly—exceeding the standard for large-scale deployments—and 100% of the results were electronically received in less than two hours.

International observers noted the reliability of the technology: “Overall, polling stations were well-administered, and the implementation of new polling technology performed as intended,” stated the preliminary report from the International Republican Institute (IRI).

To ensure the reliability of the technology, the CEC engaged Pro V&V, an independent U.S.-based company specializing in election technology auditing and certification. Following an in-depth review of source code and systems, auditors confirmed the proper configuration and functionality of Smartmatic’s optical scanners and voter identification units.

The 2024 Parliamentary election in Georgia represents a significant milestone, as it is the first election in which technology was accessible to the majority of voters (90%). Since 2021, the CEC has introduced this technology in five elections, with pilot programs in cities like Batumi, Senaki, and Tbilisi to help voters and poll workers become familiar with the new systems.

“For the first time, electronic devices were used in most polling stations for voter identification, counting, and the establishment and transmission of preliminary results… The introduction of these technologies was supported by most stakeholders,” stated the preliminary report from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic, praised Georgia’s achievement: “The Central Election Commission has accomplished an extraordinary task. By adhering to best practices and international standards for election technology, they have successfully implemented their first nationwide deployment. We are honored to have supported Georgia in this modernization effort.” the Smartmatic stated.