Project: Community-based Voter Education in East and Southern Georgia

Implementing Partner: Mercy Corps

Interim Narrative Report

a) Project Objectives

The objective of the Community-based Voter Education (CBVE) project was to inform citizens about the nature of the forthcoming presidential election, its importance, correct voting procedures and (if finalised) the process for correcting voters lists.

In implementing the programme Mercy Corps was to utilise its infrastructure and experience from its community based programmes in East and Southern Georgia, as well as the experience of its NGOs partners, who had implemented similar programmes in the run up to the November 2003 parliamentary elections.

The target group was to be all voting age citizens, with a particular emphasis on those who would be less inclined to exercise their civic rights and responsibilities in a national election.

b) A summary of the activities undertaken

Mercy Corps signed agreements with the following seven NGO partners outlining their responsibilities for the project: Center for Support of Reform and Democratic Development, Women's Leadership Association, Life Fund, "Freedom and Equality", Association "Telaveli", Shida Kartli Center for IDP Rights, Foundation for "Fair Elections". The latter NGO replaced the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy due to administrative changed that hindered their ability to implement the project.

The NGOs were given particular responsibilities to carry out voter education activities in the following districts: Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda (Samtskhe-Javakheti Region), non-Azeri communities in Sagarejo, Akhmeta, Kvareli, Telavi Districts (Kakheti Region), non-Azeri communities in Marneuli (Kvemo-Kartli Region), Mtskheta, Dusheti (Mtkheta-Tianeti Region), Rustavi, Gardabani (Kvemo Kartli Region), GoriTown ( Shida Kartli Region). In addition, due to the low level of information in Kvemo Kartli Region, Mercy Corps directly implemented voter education in areas not covered by NDI or its local NGO partners, including non-Azeri communities in Bolnisi, Tsalka, Tetri-Tskaro and Dmanisi districts.

NGO partners and Mercy Corps staff were trained in the election procedures by IFES on 11th and 12th December and were provided with copies of IFES brochures on the elections and voter registration procedures to distribute to communities. They then organised and carried out a series of community information meetings to inform the electorate about the forthcoming presidential elections, voting procedures and revisions to the electoral lists. The meeting participants were provided with printed materials in order to distribute them to their wider communities.

In Kvemo Kartli and Mskheta-Tianeti house-to-house visits were made to those people not attending the community meetings. In Shida Karlti and Kakheti, individual visits were carried out to the disabled and in Shida Kartli drama performances were given to further disseminate information.

c) Information on the achievement of the objectives

Over 17,000 people attended voter education meetings compared to a planned figure of 13,470. Many more people were reached via leaflets and word of mouth (40,750 leaflets were distributed on compared to a planned 36,780). Many of those reached were from marginalised groups (e.g. women and the disabled) and were from remote and inaccessible areas.

d) An evaluation of the project, including any problems or successes encountered.

Only two days after the elections, it is not possible to make a full analysis of the project impact. Preliminary information from the CEC suggest a 83% turnout of registered voters across the country with the exception of Ajara and far fewer voter irregularities than in the November elections. The contribution of this project to the relatively smooth running of the elections in the coverage areas, as well as problems and successes will be assessed in a half-day working session with the project implementers in the second half of January and will be summarised in the final report.

Preliminary NGO and Mercy Corps team reports indicated that despite cold weather and unheated meeting rooms, the population was highly motivated to attend the sessions, receive information and to pass it on to other community members. In Sagarejo, the attendance was particularly diverse, with the youth active in encouraging people in their own villages to register for voting and distributing leaflets. By 29th of December around 23,246 voters had registered in Sagarejo District, which is around 85% of the eligible population (compared to around 45% in previous elections in the last 10 years). In Telavi district, it was reported 38,000 voters registered, around 70-75% of the population. The partners also reiterated the acute information vacuum that they encountered in the villages, particularly in remote areas, where there is limited electricity. In Tsalka, local people expressed gratitude that for once someone remembered their existence. There were many questions from participants, particularly regarding the mechanisms to prevent election fraud.

Despite the short time frame and the remoteness of the areas, the project was implemented without major problems. Delays in receiving leaflets from IFES and poor translation of the Armenian versions were generally overcome by Mercy Corps making their own copies, translating one of the Russian leaflets and focusing on using Russian rather than Armenian copies.

Many of the staff involved were highly motivated to contribute to the peace and development of their country and even drivers found new skills in mobilising people and logistics management.

The following table gives a summary of achievements:

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Summary of planned and achieved activities by implementing partners
Partner / Region/District / Methodology / Target Group (meeting attendees) / Material Distribution / Comments
Planned / Achieved / Planned / Achieved / Planned / Achieved
Mercy Corps / Kvemo Kartli Region
Non-Azeri villages in Bolnisi, Tsalka, Tetri-Tskaro and Dmanisi Districts, / 80 Sacrebulo-level community meetings with follow-on info. distribution to the wider community / 80 Sacrebulo-level community meetings with follow-on info. distribution to the wider community / 5,000 voters / 3047 voters / 17,300 Georgian
830 Russian / 10,750 Georgian
11,000 Russian / Tsakla: 25 villages, 896 participants;
Bolnisi: 11 villages, 551 participants
Tetritskaro: 82 villages (20 sakrebulos)1,110 participants;
Dmanisi: town and 12 villages, 490 participants.
Centre for Support of Reform and Democratic Development / Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
All sacrebulos in Akhalkhalaki and Ninotsminda Districts / 18 community meetings in 13 villages, info.
distribution, both within meetings and outside / 13 community meetings in 13 villages, info.
distribution, both within meetings and outside / 900 voters / 661 voters / 300 Georgian,
1,500 Russian / 300 Georgian
1,000 Russian / The number of meetings was less than planned due to the fact that they were only able to start on 22nd December.
Women’s Leadership Association / Kakheti Region
All sacrebulos in Sagarejo District / 18 meetings specifically targeting marginalized groups
Individual visits to disabled / 18 meetings specifically targeting marginalized groups
Individual visits to disabled / 900 voters / 900 voters
107 disabled / 1,900 Georgian
100 Russian / 1,900 Georgian
100 Russian / 18 villages
Life Fund / Kakheti Region
All sacrebulos in, Telavi District,
Akhmeta District and Kvareli District / 33 community meetings, info.
distribution in meetings / 32 community meetings, info.
distribution in meetings / 1,320 voters / 1,580 voters / 1,300 Georgian
50 Russian / 1,300 Georgian
50 Russian / 32 villages
Freedom and Equality / Kvemo-Kartli Region
All sacrebulos in Marneuli District / 18 community meetings, information distribution within and outside meetings / 18 community meetings, info.
distribution within and outside meetings / 900 voters / 821 voters / 2,000 Georgian
2,000 Russian / 2,500 Georgian
2,500 Russian / 16 villages,
meetings were conducted twice in Tamarisi village and Marneuli town
Association "Telaveli" / Kakheti Region All sacrebulos in Telavi District / 28 community information meetings with follow-up distribution outside meetings / 28 community information meetings with follow-up distribution outside meetings / 1,700 voters / 1,500 voters / 2,500 Georgian / 2,000 Georgian / 28 villages
Shida Kartli Centre for IDP Rights / Shida-Kartli Region
All precincts in GoriTown / 20 community meetings,
drama performances and utilisation of mobilizes to disseminate information
Individual visits to disabled / 20 community meetings,
drama performances and utilisation of mobilizes to disseminate information
Individual visits to disabled / 1,000 voters / 6,500 voters / 5,000 Georgian / 6,000 Georgian / 20 trainings, 2 public meetings with more then 500 participants.
Foundation for Fair Election / Mtskheta-Tianeti Region
Mtskheta and Dusheti Districts, RustaviTown and the non-Azeri villages of Gardabani District / 35 community meetings
Individual meetings / 36 community meetings
Individual meetings / 1,750 voters / 1,888 voters / 1,500 Georgian,
500 Russian / 2,000 Georgian
500 Russian / 36 villages
TOTAL / 250 community meetings / 245 meetings / 13,470 / 17,004 / 31,800 Georgian
4,980 Russian
36,780 total / 26,750 Georgian
14,000 Russian
40,750 total

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