The Central Election Commission of Georgia (CEC) is currently undertaking a comprehensive compliance audit of election technology in preparation for the upcoming municipal elections on October 4.

This audit is being carried out by the Pro V&V election technology testing laboratory, a highly experienced entity with extensive expertise in the United States. It is one of only two companies holding the necessary accreditation from relevant American authorities.

The election administration believes it is essential to adhere to international best practices and to provide the public with thorough information about how electronic systems operate, ensuring safety and the highest security standards. At the same time, this process reaffirms that one of the administration’s key priorities is to uphold a high level of transparency and accountability.

To date, the first two stages of the compliance audit have been completed. In response to widespread public interest, we now share details of these completed phases. Specifically, following a review of the source code and configuration audit, it has been established that:

– The Central Election Commission successfully implemented procedures for configuring election devices, utilised during both the previous pilot and nationwide elections.
– A quality monitoring programme for the configuration process was effectively executed.
– The preparatory processes, procedures, and checks necessary for the elections were appropriate, and personnel received thorough training.
– Voter personal identification numbers are not duplicated within the voter list, with each voter listed only once.
– The voter lists stored on the CEC servers are consistent with those loaded into the devices.
– A minor modification was made to the source code of the verification device; however, this change does not contravene election legislation nor compromise the integrity, reliability, or security of the electoral system.

It is important to highlight that the compliance audit encompasses three distinct phases:

1. The first phase involved examining modifications to the source code of electronic systems, ensuring compliance with Georgian legislation, and testing the updated software’s functionality.
2. The second phase included direct observation by Pro V&V representatives of the preparation of electronic devices within the CEC’s operational and storage facilities, as well as verification of voter lists on the servers against those entered into the devices.
3. The third phase involves monitoring by Pro V&V representatives of the operation of the equipment on Election Day itself.

The election administration will inform the public about the findings of the third phase upon its completion. Detailed reports on the audit, available in both Georgian and English, are published on the CEC website.