The 2009 Abkhazian Presidential Election
Fast Facts
The five candidates running for presidency are Zuar Ardzinba, the head of an Abkhaz shipping company; incumbent Sergei Bagapsh; Vitaly Bganba, an economics professor; Beslan Butba, a prominent Abkhaz businessman; and Raul Khajiba, the former Vice President.
The election takes place on 12 December. Polls will be open on election-day from 8 AM to 8PM. Campaigning must be completed by 11 December.
There will be 187 polling places through the country.
There are at least 131,000 registered voters in Abkhazia. All Abkhaz citizens, regardless of ethnicity, are eligible to vote, providing they complete the voluntary process of obtaining a passport. In the last election, 60 percent of those registered cast ballots. The voting age is 21.
Voters cross out the name of the candidates they oppose. Local election committees count the votes and pass the results on to regional committees, which then send tallies to the Central Election Committee. The Central Election Committee finalizes the tally and the counting process takes one day.
On 12 December, 2009, the citizens of Abkhazia will go to the polls to elect their president. Although Abkhazia has operated as an independent entity for decades, this is the first time its citizens will vote for a president since their country was declared independent by Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
The five candidates running for the presidency are: Zuar Ardzinba, the head of an Abkhaz shipping company; incumbent Sergei Bagapsh; Vitaly Bganba, an economics professor; Beslan Butba, a prominent Abkhaz businessman; and Raul Khajiba, the former Vice President. President Bagapsh was elected to office in 2004.
The government of Abkhazia, in collaboration with independent NGOS and citizens groups, has been working hard to ensure that the upcoming election is conducted in a fair and transparent manner. The League of Voters for Fair Elections, which is comprised of 10 NGOS, has been conducting seminars for the media and for campaigners and observers representing the candidates. The league will be monitoring the elections and preparing a report on the election process.
Each candidate will have two observers at each polling place to observe the voting process and assure free and open voting. In addition, each candidate will have 10 representatives who will have access to all polling stations along with the independent observers..
Monitors from CIS countries will be joining the local observers. The government of Abkhazia and citizen groups had hoped Western poll monitoring organizations would also be present, but none agreed to come.
"The democratic forces in Abkhazia are trying to ensure that the election process is fair and transparent," explained Liana Kvarchelia, deputy director, Centre for Humanitarian Programmes, one of the co-founders of the League of Voters for Fair Elections.
Nadir Bitiev, Deputy Special Representative to President Bagapsh reports that the campaign "is vigorous with all candidates taking positions on major issues such as education, infrastructure and economic development, Abkhaz relations with Russia, and how Abkhazia can be an effective member of the international community."
According to Mr. Bitiev, as with previous elections, there will be a series of public televised debates during which candidates meet each other, present their positions and respond to questions from voters. Candidates also appear individually on television to make their points. Abkhaz public television stations must provide equal time to all candidates. Private television stations, owned by opposition members in this election, are not required to provide equal time.
News media are encouraged to come to Abkhazia to cover the campaign and the elections.
"We have worked hard to make sure our presidential election is a milestone on our road to democracy," says Mr. Bitiev. "No candidate can take his position for granted. The campaign is heating up, and each candidate is working hard for votes. We would like to share that process with as many people as we can. It is exciting for us, and it is important for Abkhazia."
The Central Election Commission is setting up a press center and each candidate has an election headquarters, which are accessible to journalists.
