Powers of a DEC

A DEC shall:
a) ensure, within its powers, the conduct of elections, referenda, and plebiscites, oversee the process of implementation of the electoral legislation of Georgia, and ensure its uniform application;

b) establish and specify by ordinance the boundaries of electoral precincts;

c) if a lower PEC is unable or fails to perform the duties assigned to it under the legislation of Georgia, have the right to request the CEC to suspend the powers of that commission by a majority decision of the total number of DEC members;

d) determine by ordinance the text of ballot papers for the election of local self-government bodies to be held in the electoral district;

e) based on an application/complaint (if the application/complaint is filed under the procedure and within the time frame determined by this Law) or on its own initiative, verify the legality of actions and decisions made by PECs and their officials (including the accuracy of registration of election participants, counting of ballot papers, etc.), and if violations are determined, make respective decisions (including changing of data in the PEC summary protocol of polling results after the verification or annul polling results in an electoral precinct). If the violation results in the replacement of an elected person in a single-seat district or in the replacement of any candidate running in the second round of elections, or in the replacement of persons elected in a multi-seat district (when holding elections of local self-government bodies), or in the change of a decision to declare elections held or to declare failure of elections (according to a majoritarian electoral district and during elections of local self-government bodies), and if such a verification is not sufficient for the DEC to establish the legality of the results, the DEC shall make a decision to declare polling results in the respective electoral precinct void and apply to the CEC for setting the date for a repeat vote. If the DEC decides to recount votes, it shall notify all electoral subjects and observer organisations, representatives of which attended the counting of ballot papers at an electoral precinct, and shall ensure, upon request, the attendance of their representatives at the recounting process;

f) based on summary protocols of polling results of PECs, giving consideration to the final decision about violations of the electoral legislation of Georgia, summarize electoral district voting results of respective elections/referenda/plebiscites and draw up a summary protocol of polling results of the DEC;

g) based on summary protocols of polling results of PECs, taking into account the decision of a district/city court on violations of the electoral legislation of Georgia, prepare the results of elections held under the majoritarian system in majoritarian electoral districts during elections of the Parliament of Georgia, in electoral districts during elections of municipality bodies (except for the Tbilisi Sakrebulo elections) and during Mayoral elections of a self-governing city (except for Tbilisi)/community, and draw up a summary protocol of polling results of the DEC;

h) grant by ordinance the status of a domestic observer of elections/referenda/plebiscites to local non-entrepreneurial (noncommercial) legal entities referred to in this Law;

i) ensure the conduct of extraordinary elections, re-run elections, repeat voting, and run-off elections;

i1) elect by decree representatives of a DEC and define their powers;

j) ensure the release and publication of election-related information materials;

k) examine the election-related applications and complaints and make respective decisions within its powers;

l) facilitate the compiling of lists of voters as determined in this Law and ensure publicity thereof and accessibility thereto;

m) provide PEC members with workshops and training courses for professional development;

n) exercise other powers granted by this Law.

Organic Law of Georgia No 2093 of 7 March 2014 – website, 14.3.2014
Organic Law of Georgia No 1232 of 26 July 2017 – website, 29.7.2017
Organic Law of Georgia No 1274 of 26 July 2017 – website, 29.7.2017
Organic Law of Georgia No 3266 of 21 July 2018 – website, 13.8.2018