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Article 3
 

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 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;


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 selfgoverning 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.