At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Georgia

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Nino BURJANA *
• Head of Government: President Nino BURJANA
• Assembly: Georgia has a unicameral Supreme Council (Umaghiesi Sabcho) with 235 seats.

* Note: BURJANADZE became acting president of Georgia after President Eduard SHEVARDNADZE resigned on November 23 2003.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Supreme Council (Umaghiesi Sabcho) 235 members are elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms.***

*** Of the 235 members, 75 members are elected in single member constituencies, 10 members represent displaced persons from the separatist region of Abkhazia, and 150 are elected by a proportional representation party-list system.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Mikhail SAAKASHVILI
  • Party: N/A
• Teimuraz SHASHIASHVILI
  • Party: N/A
• Roin LIPARTELIANI
  • Party: N/A
• Zaza SIKHARUDLIDZE
  • Party: N/A
• Kartloz GHARIBASHVILI
  • Party: N/A
• Zurab KELEKSASHIVILI
  • Party: N/A
• Against All Candidates
  • Party: N/A

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election was held on April 9, 2000. In this election, Eduard SHERVARDNADZE of the Citizens' Union of Georgia (CUG) won with 78.82% of the valid votes while independent candidate Jumber PATIASHVILI came in second with 16.66% of the vote.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 4,245,000 (2004)
• Registered Voters: 2,343,087 (2003)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 2,242,646 (2004)

·         Is Georgia a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Georgia ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (26 October 1994)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 22 (following the 2004 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 76 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Medium (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Georgia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (10 July 2009)

·         Has Georgia ratified CRPD: Yes (13 March 2014)

·         Population with a disability: 645,150 (est.)