Bar Association 2025 Election Guide

Before You Arrive: What You Need to Know

Required Documents

Every member must bring one of the following identity documents:

• Georgian citizen passport

• Personal ID card

• Driver's license

Members are encouraged to bring a certificate of the right to practice law, which must be presented together with one of the above-mentioned identity documents. If you are unable to present this certificate, you will be identified in the Unified List of Lawyers based on your identity document.

Observer Registration (December 8-10)

If you represent a monitoring organization or are designated by a chairmanship candidate as an observer, you must submit your documents in person at the Bar Association office (1 Tinatin Virsaladze First Lane, Tbilisi) between 10:00 AM on December 8 and 6:00 PM on December 10.

For monitoring organizations: Your organization must be a registered non-commercial legal entity with at least five years of experience in justice and election monitoring. Each organization may designate up to two observers.

For chairmanship candidates: Each candidate may designate up to four observers.

Observer requirements: Must be an adult Georgian citizen with full legal capacity.

Day One: December 13, 2025

Morning Registration (9:00 AM - 10:30 AM)

The doors open at 9:00 AM at Pavilion 11 of Expo Georgia. Upon arrival, you'll find 12 registration tables organized by advocates' list numbers. The registration process works as follows:

A mandate commission member will verify your identity against the unified advocate list. After signing the appropriate column in the unified list, you'll receive a mandate stamped with a special seal bearing the assembly date. This mandate, along with your ID document, serves as your entry pass for Day One.

Important timing note: If fewer than 800 members register by 10:30 AM, a repeat assembly will be called at 10:40 AM. This repeat assembly will be authorized regardless of attendance numbers. Registration for the repeat assembly continues until 12:00 PM. After 12:00 PM, no one will be admitted for Day One activities.

Electronic Portal Access

During registration, you'll receive a unique code via SMS to your mobile phone number listed in the unified advocate list. This code grants you access to the electronic voting portal at www.saertokreba.gba.ge for the vote counting commission elections. If you don't receive the code due to technical issues, the mandate commission will provide it to you. If you lack the necessary technical means to access the portal, you can use devices available in the registration hall.

Midday Activities (12:00 PM - 4:00 PM)

12:00 PM - Assembly Opens Registration closes and the mandate commission tallies the number of registered members. The assembly chair announces the attendance and whether the assembly is authorized to proceed.

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM - Self-Nomination for Vote Counting Commission Members registered on Day One may self-nominate for the vote counting commission. The commission will consist of 15 members. However, certain individuals cannot serve simultaneously: candidates running for any elective body (chairperson, executive council, ethics commission, or audit commission) and mandate commission members cannot also be vote counting commission candidates or members.

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM - Vote Counting Commission Elections Members vote for vote counting commission candidates through the electronic portal. Each member may vote for at least one and up to 15 candidates. The 15 candidates with the best results will be elected. In case of a tie that results in more candidates than positions available, the candidate who joined the association earlier (with a numerically lower list number) will be elected.

The mandate commission processes and summarizes these results based on the electronic portal data. Results are announced by the assembly chair.

Technical backup: If electronic voting becomes impossible due to technical or software issues, the vote counting commission election will be conducted through open voting using mandates during the assembly.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Annual Reports The chairperson, ethics commission, and audit commission present their 2025 annual reports.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Candidate Speeches Chairmanship candidates who wish to address the assembly may speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Evening Break (4:00 PM December 13 - 10:00 AM December 14)

The assembly enters a break period. Members should retain their mandates and ID documents for Day Two.

Day Two: December 14, 2025

The Main Event: Elections

Day Two takes place at Pavilions 4 and 5 of Expo Georgia. This is when the association elects its chairperson, executive council members, ethics commission members, and audit commission members through secret ballot.

Registration and Ballot Distribution (10:00 AM - 7:00 PM)

Who can participate: Both members registered on Day One and any active association members listed in the unified list who appear on Day Two may register, receive ballots, and vote.

The registration zone contains tables organized by advocates' list numbers. Vote counting commission and mandate commission members staff these tables jointly. Upon verification of your identity, you'll sign the appropriate column in the unified list and receive:

• One ballot paper

• One secrecy folder-envelope

• Explanation of how to complete the ballot and use the secrecy folder

Understanding Your Ballot

The ballot is a single sheet divided into five distinct columns:

1. Chairperson candidates

2. Executive council candidates

3. Ethics commission (advocate members) candidates

4. Ethics commission (non-advocate members) candidates

5. Audit commission candidates

All candidates within each column are listed alphabetically by last name (from "ა" to "ჰ"). Next to each candidate's name is a circle for marking your vote. The ballot includes a special unique security barcode.

How to Vote

After receiving your ballot and secrecy folder, proceed to the voting zone where special booths ensure privacy. Using the special marker provided, fill in the circles next to your preferred candidates' names. This is how you cast your vote for those candidates.

Voting limits per section:

• Chairperson: Exactly 1 candidate

• Executive Council: Up to 11 candidates

• Ethics Commission (advocate members): Up to 12 candidates

• Ethics Commission (non-advocate members): Up to 3 candidates

• Audit Commission: Up to 5 candidates

What makes a ballot section invalid:

• Marking more candidates than allowed in that section

• Not marking any candidates in that section (regardless of other markings or notes)

Casting Your Ballot

After completing your ballot, place it in the secrecy folder-envelope and proceed to the ballot box. The ballot box is equipped with an electronic vote-counting device (PCOS optical scanner) that scans and counts votes as ballots are inserted.

Insert your ballot through the optical scanner into the ballot box. If you have difficulty, a technical team member may assist under the supervision of vote counting and mandate commission members.

If the device rejects your ballot, it's considered damaged and can be exchanged following the damaged ballot procedure (see below).

After depositing your ballot, place the secrecy folder-envelope on the designated table and exit through the exit door. You may return only to the zone designated for candidates.

Important Rules

• Only one person may use a voting booth at a time

• Do not deliberately delay the voting process

• Do not create noise or otherwise interfere with the electoral process

• Taking a ballot out of the voting hall is prohibited; if you leave with a ballot, you cannot re-enter the voting zone

·       Manual counting of votes for the chairperson is video-transmitted and recorded in real time. 

·       Candidates may watch real-time video transmission of the election process on special monitors in the candidate zone.

Damaged Ballots

If you damage your ballot, return to the registration zone table and present the damaged ballot. The upper right corner will be cut off and the damaged ballot retained. You'll receive a new ballot.

Technical Contingencies

If technical issues prevent ballot insertion through the optical scanner, vote counting and mandate commission chairs, along with technical team representatives, will open the device from the ballot box. Members can then insert ballots into another optical scanner or, if that's not possible, directly into the ballot box.

Closing Time (7:00 PM)

At 7:00 PM sharp, the voting hall door closes. Members already in line at that time may still vote. Vote counting and mandate commission members will record the number of people in line with their names. After this announcement, only those already in line and vote counting commission members may participate in voting.

Vote Counting Process (7:00 PM - 9:00 PM)

After voting concludes, the vote counting begins using electronic vote-counting devices. A technical support team of five members ensures proper technical and software operation of the optical scanners.

Pre-Counting Procedures

Before counting begins, vote counting and mandate commission chairs, with the help of the technical team and in the presence of chairmanship candidates (if they wish to attend), verify that ballot boxes are empty and then mount the devices on the boxes. A protocol documenting this process is signed by both commission chairs.

After mounting the devices, a "zero report" is printed from each device, confirming that no votes have been cast through the device at that time. These zero reports are retained by the commission chairs.

Consolidating Results

After voting concludes, the results from every three devices are consolidated into "consolidated result reports," which represent the official vote count data. The final results are obtained by programmatically aggregating all consolidated reports.

Each consolidated result report must contain:

• Number of scanned ballots

• Number of valid ballots

• Number of invalid ballots

• Number of votes received by each candidate

Manual Verification

To verify the consolidated report data, vote counting commission members manually count votes for chairperson candidates. Ballot boxes are placed on tables in a visible location, and the number of votes for each candidate is publicly announced.

At least three vote counting commission members must participate in the manual count for it to be valid. Real-time video transmission and recording occur throughout this manual counting process.

Final Protocol

Based on the consolidated reports and manual verification procedure, the vote counting commission prepares a summary protocol of election results, signed by the commission chair and members.

If the vote counting commission chair doesn't sign, the protocol must be signed by the commission secretary and at least three commission members. If both chair and secretary refuse to sign, at least three commission members and/or the general assembly chair may sign.

What the Protocol Must Include

• Date and time of protocol preparation

• Number of advocates in the unified list

• Number of advocates who registered

• Number of advocates who participated in voting

• Number of ballots used

• Number of ballots invalidated

• Number of votes each candidate received

• Names, surnames, and personal numbers of elected individuals

Determining Winners

Chairperson: The candidate with the best result who received a simple majority of votes from attending members. If no candidate achieves this, a second round occurs within 14 days between the two candidates with the best results.

Executive Council: The 11 candidates with the best results are elected.

Ethics Commission (advocate members): The 12 candidates with the best results are elected.

Ethics Commission (non-advocate members): The 3 candidates with the best results are elected.

Ethics Commission (alternate members): The next 6 candidates with the best results who didn't make it into the commission become alternates.

Audit Commission: The 5 candidates with the best results are elected.

For Repeat Voting

If executive council, ethics commission, or audit commission candidates receive equal votes and their number exceeds positions available, repeat voting occurs within 14 days among the candidates with the best results equal to the number of positions to be filled. The candidate receiving more votes than others is elected.

Results Announcement (9:00 PM)

The assembly chair publicly announces election results. This information is also published on the association's official website at www.gba.ge.

All candidates listed on the ballot may request a copy of the summary protocol of election results.

Assembly Closing (9:15 PM)

The assembly officially closes at 9:15 PM.

Observer Rights and Procedures

Observers may monitor the assembly process without interfering. They may conduct video and audio recordings as long as they don't violate voting secrecy or disrupt the assembly process.

Observers must remain within the zone designated by the vote counting commission. Candidates may monitor real-time video transmission of the election process through special monitors in the candidate zone.

Candidate Monitoring

All candidates for chairperson, executive council, ethics commission, and audit commission may observe the election proceedings through real-time video transmission via special monitors in the candidate zone.

Document Retention

Ballots are retained for four years. After this period, they may be destroyed, with a protocol signed by the association's chairperson and executive secretary.

Unused and spoiled ballots are counted separately, sealed, and a protocol is prepared signed by the vote counting and mandate commission chairs.

Technical and Administrative Details

The mandate commission consists of up to 30 members (association staff members and/or persons under service contracts), with a chair appointed by the association's chairperson. The mandate commission chair manages and organizes the commission's activities and holds the unified advocate list in both printed (bound and sealed) and electronic formats.

The unified list contains information about each advocate: name, surname, list number, and personal number. Electronic versions additionally include association membership date and mobile phone number.

The assembly chair (typically the association's chairperson) opens and presides over the assembly, manages the agenda, grants and revokes speaking rights, conducts voting, announces results, declares breaks, ensures compliance with regulations, and signs assembly protocols.

The assembly secretary, appointed by the association's chairperson from the mandate commission, prepares the assembly protocol.

Re-Entry Procedures

If you leave the hall during Day One, you may re-enter only by presenting your mandate and ID document.

Maintaining Order

The assembly chair will warn anyone whose actions disrupt the assembly proceedings. Individuals may be removed from the hall if they:

• Continue disrupting proceedings after receiving a warning

• Appear with weapons or other prohibited items

• Disrupt proceedings through their actions or call on other members to do so

Withdrawal of Candidacy

Candidates may withdraw their candidacy before the assembly begins by submitting a written statement. If a candidate withdraws, the ballot will be marked "withdrawn" next to their name, and votes for that candidate will not be counted in the final results. Withdrawal during the assembly is not permitted.

The guide was prepared based on the Regulations of the General Meeting of the Georgian Bar Association of LEPL on December 13-14, 2025.