Georgian citizens will no longer be able to vote from abroad in parliamentary elections — Georgian Dream plans to introduce corresponding amendments to the Election Code.
The statement was made today, 17 November, by GD’s Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.
According to him, a new Election Code will be initiated in Parliament, which will include “essentially technical amendments,” one of which concerns the voting procedures for citizens residing abroad.
“The amendment concerns the voting procedure and stipulates that, just like in local self-government elections, voting in parliamentary elections will also take place only within the borders of Georgia.
This decision is based on the obligation imposed on the state by Article 24 of the Constitution of Georgia to ensure the free expression of will, which implies the expression of that will free from external interference,” Papuashvili said at the briefing.
He added that “nothing changes regarding the voting rights of Georgian citizens residing in other countries. As before, every Georgian citizen, regardless of where they are located or live, retains full passive and active electoral rights. The only requirement is to come to Georgia once every four years to cast a vote,” the Speaker said.
He explained the decision by referring to recurring accusations of “foreign interference” in recent years and the “risks regarding the Georgian citizens abroad.”
October 26, 2024 – Georgian voters are lined up at the polling precinct in London
The decision to ban overseas voting comes against the backdrop of historically poor results for Georgian Dream among emigrant voters. After the first win in 2012, the party’s support at polling stations abroad has steadily decreased: in 2016 it received 39.6% (compared to 48.68% nationally), in 2020 – 29.03% (48.22% nationally), and in 2024 – just 13.49% (53.93% nationally).
The exact number of eligible voters living outside Georgia is unknown, though unofficial estimates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs put it at more than 1.5 million. Emigrants have long campaigned for more overseas polling stations to exercise their voting rights. During the 2024 parliamentary elections, they advocated for Georgian Dream to expand polling abroad; the party opened only 67 polling stations, 15 more than in previous elections.
The decision effectively cuts off the political influence of millions of Georgians living abroad, who have also become an important source of economic support. In just the first nine months of 2025, emigrants sent $2.7 billion back to Georgia, following $3.4 billion in 2024 and $4.1 billion in 2023.
Another video from Batumelebi’s archive shows voter turnout in New York for October 26, 2024 elections:
⚠️In #NewYork, where 4 polling precincts are located at a single address with over 13K registered voters, long queues have formed, leading the police to block the street. Despite requests, CEC didn’t open any precinct at another location.#GEOElections2024 #GeorgiaElections pic.twitter.com/560c3s4d3b
— ბათუმელები • Batumelebi.ge (@Batumelebi_ge) October 26, 2024
