Georgia: Proposal Made to End Overseas Voting in Parliamentary Elections

Georgian Dream has begun work on a new version of the Election Code, which parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili described as a fundamental update, Orda.kz reports, citing Tvpirveli.ge.

According to Papuashvili, one of the main changes concerns voting procedures for non-resident citizens —Georgians living abroad. While he stressed that the right to vote remains unchanged, the proposed amendments would dramatically alter how those citizens can participate in parliamentary elections.

Under the draft, voting for the Parliament of Georgia — just like in local self-government elections — would be possible only within Georgia’s state borders. This means citizens wishing to vote would need to return to Georgia.

Papuashvili said the measure is based on the state’s constitutional obligation, under Article 24, to ensure the “free expression of will,” which he said also requires protecting elections from “external interference.”

To emphasize once again, nothing changes in the voting rights of citizens living abroad. As before, all citizens of Georgia will have the full right and opportunity to vote in the elections. The only condition is to return to their homeland and vote in Georgia once every four years,  Papuashvili said.