General Information
At stake in this election:
- The office of President of Georgia
Description of government structure:
- Chief of State: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
- Head of Government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
- Assembly: Georgia has a unicameral Supreme Council (Umaghiesi Sabcho) with 235 seats.
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:
- Eduard Shevardnadze
- Party: Citizen's Union of Georgia (CUG)
- Jumber Patiashvili
- Party: Independent Candidate
- Kartlos Gharibashvili
- Party: Georgian Corporation of Lawyers
- Avtandil Joglidze
- Party: Georgian National Holy Movement 'New World'
- Vazha Zhgenti
- Party: Progressive Party
- Tengiz Asanidze
- Party: Independent Candidate
Last Presidential election:
- Presidential elections last held: November 5, 1995. President SHEVARDNADZE received 74% of the vote, thereby defeating Jumber PATIASHVILI who received 17%.
Population and number of registered voters:
- Population: 4,418,300 (2000)
- Registered Voters: 12,421,785 ( 1995 )
Gender Data:
· Female Population: 2,327,290 (2000)
· 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: 17 (following the 1999 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: 662,745 (est.)