Home > 2.1.4 Others > GEORGIA - Opinion on the Unified Election Code
 
 
 
Download file    
 
 
Paragraph 35
 

The following principles should be stipulated in law to apply at all three levels – the Central Commission, the District Commissions and the Precinct Commissions:

 

(a)  The chief officials, that is, the Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary, should be chosen by a proportional representation system, for example, the single transferable vote. A simple majority vote is open to one-party domination and in the DECs and PECs, even a two-thirds vote is subject to domination in a similar way. This will require amendment of Article 22.2 and other similar clauses, and also of Article 27.6.

 

(b)  Major actions of a Commission should require the signature of the Deputy Chair as well as the Chair. As written, the law concentrates too much power in the hands of a single individual.

 

(c)   Where it would be inefficient to require two signatures before action is taken, explicit provision should be made for the deputy commissioner to file a written dissent if excluded from prior consultation and endorsement.

 

(d)  All members of the Commission should have the right to be given documents about all actions authorised by the Chair in the name of the Commission, or actions taken by the Chair and countersigned by the Deputy Chair.

 

(e)   Where a decision is taken by the Commission collectively in the presence of Commissioners, then any member should have the right to append a written dissent, as stipulated, for example, in Article 19.2.