Strasbourg, 15 November 2006 CDL(2006)080 Engl. only Opinion No. 362 / 2005 EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY THROUGH LAW (VENICE COMMISSION) ELECTION CODE OF GEORGIA as of 24 July 2006 This is an unofficial translation of the Unified Election Code of Georgia (UEC) which has been produced as a reference document and has no legal authority. Only the Georgian language UEC has any legal standing. Incorporating Amendments adopted on: 28.11.2003 16.09.2004 Abkhazia and Adjara, Composition election admin; 12.10.2004 VL, Campaign funding, voting and counting procedures, observers’ rights, complaints and appeals, election cancellation and re-run 26.11.2004 Abolition of turnout requirement for mid-term elections and re-runs, drug certificate for MPs 24.12.2004 Rules for campaign and the media 22.04.2005 VL; CEC, DEC, PEC composition and functioning; 23.06.2005 Deadlines and procedures for filing complaints 09.12.2005 Election of Tbilisi Sacrebulo; plus miscellaneous minor changes 16.12.2005 Campaign fund; media outlets 23.12.2005 (1) Election System for Parliament, Multi-mandate Districts, Mid-term Elections, PEC, 23.12.2005 (2) Election of Sacrebulos (except Tbilisi) 06.2006 Changes pertaining to local elections; voting procedures, etc. 24.07.2006 Early convocation of PEC for 2006 local elections ORGANIC LAW OF GEORGIA Election Code of Georgia CONTENTS PART I............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS 1 Article 1. Purpose of the Law ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Article 2. Legal Basis of Elections........................................................................................................................................ 1 Article 3. Definition of Terms............................................................................................................................................... 1 Article 31. Calculation of Periods Prescribed by this Law ..................................................................................................... 3 Article 4. Basic Principles of Elections................................................................................................................................. 3 Article 5. Universal Suffrage ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Article 6. Equal Suffrage....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Article 7. Direct Suffrage...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Article 8. Secrecy of the Vote and Free Expression of the Will of the Voters ...................................................................... 4 Article 81. Publicity of Elections............................................................................................................................................ 4 Article 82. Electoral Right Guarantees ................................................................................................................................... 4 Article 83 Declaring Election Day as a holiday ...................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER II. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS 5 Article 9. General List of Voters and its Compilation Procedure........................................................................................... 5 Article 91. Determination and Publication of the Total Number of Voters ............................................................................ 7 Article 10. Special List of Voters........................................................................................................................................... 7 Article 11. Voters' List Supplement (Mobile Ballot Box List)............................................................................................... 8 Article 12. Deleted................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Article 13. Publishing of Voters' Lists and the Supplement................................................................................................... 9 Article 14. Voting Invitation Card ........................................................................................................................................ 9 CHAPTER III. ELECTION DISTRICTS AND ELECTION PRECINCTS 10 Article 15. Election Districts............................................................................................................................................... 10 Article 16. Election Precincts.............................................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER IV. ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 12 Article 17. Status and System of Election Administration of Georgia ................................................................................. 12 Article 18. Composition of Election Administration[22.04.2005] ....................................................................................... 12 Article 19. Rights and Responsibilities of Election Commission Members........................................................................ 13 Article 20. Term of office of a member/official of election commission ............................................................................. 13 Article 21. Early termination of the term of office of an election commission member/official......................................... 14 Article 22. Rules for the Work of an Election Commission................................................................................................ 15 Article 221. Elections of election commission officials/members........................................................................................ 16 Article 23. Compensation for Members of the Central Election Commission of Georgia .................................................. 17 Article 24. Compensation for Members of District and Precinct Election Commissions.................................................... 17 Article 25. Legal Acts of Election Administration of Georgia............................................................................................. 17 Article 26. Composition of Election Commissions[22.04.2005].......................................................................................... 18 Article 27. Establishment of Central Elections Commission of Georgia ............................................................................. 18 Article 28. Election of the Chairperson/member of Central Elections Commission of Georgia .......................................... 19 Article 29. Authority of the Central Election Commission of Georgia ................................................................................ 20 Article 30. Powers and Authorities of the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Secretary of the Central Election Commission of Georgia ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Article 31. Apparatus of the Central Election Commission of Georgia [16.09.2004]......................................................... 22 Article 311. Powers and Authorities of the Central Election Commissions (CECs) of Abkhazia and Adjara Autonomous Republics........................................................................................................................................................ 23 Article 32. Establishment of District Election Commission................................................................................................. 23 Article 33. Election of Chair / member of District Elections Commission .......................................................................... 23 Article 34. Powers and Authorities of District Election Commission .................................................................................. 24 Article 35. Powers and Authorities of the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Secretary of District Election Commission ......................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Article 36. Establishment of Precinct Election Commission................................................................................................ 27 Article 37. Appointment/election of a precinct election commission................................................................................... 28 Article 38. Powers and Authorities of Precinct Election Commission................................................................................. 29 Article 39. Powers and Authorities of the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Secretary of Precinct Election Commission ......................................................................................................................................................................... 30 CHAPTER