Georgia: Presidential run-off election to be held before Dec. 2

Event

Georgian election authorities announced it will schedule a run-off presidential election by Sunday, December 2, after no candidate received a majority in the October 28 election. The official tally will be announced no later than 20 days following the October 28 vote, at which time the run-off will be scheduled two weeks later. Political rallies are possible in the weeks leading up to the vote. An increased security presence is likely at any election-related event.

Context

Initial results from the first round of the presidential elections on October 28 show the two leading candidates, Salome Zurabishvili, supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party, and Grigol Vashadze of the United National Movement party, separated by less than one percentage point. Election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) indicated the vote took place freely although actions on behalf of the campaigns leading up to the vote were "not always in line with the law." Despite no reports of violence between supporters of either of the leading candidates, feelings between the parties will likely remain contentious ahead of the run-off election.

Advice

Individuals in Georgia are advised to monitor developments to the situation and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.