The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia provided an update on its investigation into alleged election fraud during the October 2024 parliamentary elections, claiming election verification devices used in the voting process had “effectively prevented” individuals from casting multiple votes.

“Our intent is to keep the society informed regarding the progress of the investigation into the alleged fraud during the 2024 parliamentary elections. The Inquiry Department has harnessed resources from the Tbilisi and District Prosecutor’s Offices, thereby ensuring an efficient and rapid response to the volume of claims being examined.

The investigation focuses on statements made publicly or via social media, as well as submissions from various political parties, President, Public Defender, NGOs, observer groups, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, media and individual citizens. All these submissions allege instances of electoral misconduct.

One of the key aspects of the investigation includes the preservation of evidence. At the investigation’s outset, the relevant storage facilities of the Central Election Commission (CEC) were sealed off to protect voter verification devices. To ensure accurate data retrieval, the prosecutors enlisted experts from the U.S.-licensed company Smartmatic. With the court’s permission, memory cards were extracted from 2,300 verification devices, which contain vital voter information.

Besides, pursuant to a judicial directive, the investigation sought information deemed critical from these devices, resulting in the sealing of all verification devices used during the parliamentary elections.

Many allegations centred on supposed rampant voting fraud - specifically, claims of individuals voting multiple times either at the same polling station or across different locations, purportedly facilitated by the use of substandard marking liquid. To analyze this concern, several investigative experiments were conducted in collaboration with international experts. These experiments simulated real polling stations to test the feasibility of a single voter casting votes at multiple locations.

The results were unequivocal: it is impractical for one voter to cast votes at separate polling stations using the verification devices employed during the elections. Furthermore, the experiments determined that when activating the voter list for one polling station on a verification device, it is impossible to access data from another polling station within the same device.

Consequently, these findings eliminate the theoretical possibility of a single voter casting repeated or multiple votes at either different or the same polling station.

These assertions are bolstered by audit findings commissioned from the CEC, which align with the experimental outcomes. Despite these results, the investigation has ordered a complex computer examination to explore the potential for double or multiple verifications of voters. This expert analysis will also determine if any manipulation of the data stored in the verification devices occurred between the close of the elections and the commencement of the investigation.

In addition, the investigation has sought to verify the compliance of the marking liquid used in the elections with international standards.

A chemical examination was conducted at the Levan Samkharaulis National Forensics Bureau, where samples of both used and unused marking liquid were assessed alongside specialized flashlights for detection purposes.

The study concluded that when the marking liquid was applied to skin and nails, it retained luminescence under ultraviolet light for at least 12 hours, even after repeated handwashing.

The Prosecutor’s Office has also encouraged anyone alleging election fraud to come forward with relevant information or evidence. However, it has been noted that many who publicly expressed their willingness to cooperate later declined to participate in the investigation process, opting instead to wait for court proceedings.

During court sessions, most witnesses were unable to provide concrete evidence, largely relying on unverified claims and information sourced from the media.

The investigation has thus far interviewed approximately 400 individuals, including the Chairperson and various members of the Central Election Commission, along with other key personnel who have knowledge about the electoral process. The questioning remains ongoing.

We urge all individuals who may have pertinent information regarding the alleged election fraud to assist our investigation and present any evidence they may possess”, - reads the statement.