§ Article 3Basic principles for holding elections, referenda, and plebiscites

Basic principles for holding elections, referenda, and plebiscites

Basic principles for holding elections, referenda, and plebiscites in Georgia shall be:

a) universal suffrage to participate in elections/referenda/plebiscites:

a.a) any citizen of Georgia, who has attained the age of 18 before or on the day of an election/referendum/plebiscite and who meets the requirements
defined by this Law, shall enjoy active suffrage, except for the persons who, under the Constitution of Georgia and/or this Law, have a restricted active
suffrage;

a.b) any citizen of Georgia, meeting the requirements defined by this Law, shall enjoy passive suffrage, except for the persons who, under the
Constitution of Georgia and/or this Law, have a restricted passive suffrage;

a.c) a citizen of Georgia who is placed in prison/penal institution under a court judgment, except for persons having committed a crime of little gravity;
and a beneficiary of support if he/she is placed at an inpatient psychiatric facility under the Law of Georgia on Psychiatric Assistance, shall not be
qualified to participate in elections, referenda and plebiscites;

[a.c) a citizen of Georgia who is placed in a penitentiary institution under a court judgment, except for persons having committed a crime of little
gravity; and a beneficiary of support if he/she is placed at an inpatient psychiatric facility under the Law of Georgia on Psychiatric Assistance, shall not
be qualified to participate in elections, referenda and plebiscites;(Shall become effective as from 1 July 2015)]

b) equal suffrage:

b.a) voters shall participate in elections, referenda, and plebiscites on equal grounds;

b.b) every voter of the same electoral district shall have an equal number of votes;

c) direct suffrage:

c.a) elections in Georgia shall be direct;

c.b) the President of Georgia, an MP of Georgia, a member of the Sakrebulo of a self-governing city/community, and the Mayor/Gamgebeli of a self-
governing city/community shall be elected directly by voters;

d) secrecy of ballot and free expression of the will of voters:

d.a) elections, referenda, and plebiscites in Georgia shall be held by secret ballot;

d.b) any influence restricting a free expression of the will of voters, as well as any control over the expression of the will of voters shall be prohibited.

Organic Law of Georgia No 864 of 25 July 2013 – website, 19.8.2013

Organic Law of Georgia No 2093 of 7 March 2014 – website, 14.3.2014

http://www.matsne.gov.ge 01019002004001016032
Organic Law of Georgia No 3402 of 20 March 2015 – website, 31.3.2015

Organic Law of Georgia No 3562 of 1 May 2015 – website, 18.5.2015