TBILISI – The National Democratic Institute (NDI, or the Institute) announced today the start of a virtual election analysis mission ahead of the October 31 parliamentary elections in Georgia - the third phase of its international election integrity program. The analysis will focus on several key themes, including election administration, the campaign environment, the information environment, gender and inclusion and the impact of covid-19. NDI will issue a report detailing its findings on November 3.

This analysis will build on NDI’s Georgia Election Watch report, released in August this year, and the ongoing work of its long-term analysts, who have been monitoring the electoral environment since mid-September and have so far conducted 200 virtual meetings with Georgian interlocutors. Earlier this month, the Institute also released election bulletins on the election administration and campaign environment as well as the information space and inclusion of marginalized communities.

Leading the virtual election analysis team are: Christine Todd Whitman, former Governor of New Jersey and Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Derek Mitchell, President of NDI; Laura Jewett, NDI Regional Director for Eurasia Programs; Alan Gillam, NDI Resident Country Director for Georgia; and Sarah Cooper, NDI Program Director for Elections. The team will meet virtually with party representatives, candidates, government and election officials as well as representatives of civil society and members of the international community. 

NDI’s international virtual election analysis will be conducted in accordance with Georgian law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. This program is made possible with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

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NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. NDI has been working in Georgia since 1994 to support the development of the parliament, political parties, and civil society. For more information about NDI and its programs, please visit www.ndi.org.