All polling stations are open, voting began at 08:00 without any delays, said the Spokesperson of the Centrral Election Commission, Natia Ioseliani, at a briefing.

"Today, elections of the representative bodies of municipalities (Sakrebulo) and mayors of self-governing cities and municipalities are being held throughout Georgia. Polling stations have opened, and voting began at 08:00 a.m.

Today, citizens of Georgia will elect 2,058 members of 64 municipal councils (Sakrebulo) through both proportional and majoritarian systems, as well as 64 mayors.

The total number of registered voters for the October 4 municipal elections is 3,513,818.

3,130,348 voters will participate in elections conducted using electronic technologies. For the first time, nearly 47,000 young people are eligible to vote. The list of mobile ballot box voters includes 60,754 voters. The administration of the elections is ensured by up to 34,000 election officials. Voters are reminded that upon arrival at polling stations, they must present a valid Georgian citizen identification card or passport.

A total of 3,061 polling stations are operating across the country, of which 2,284 are using electronic voting technologies, while 777 are conducting voting through the traditional method.

Among them are 10 special polling stations established in penitentiary institutions. The election process is being observed by more than 80 observers from 28 international organizations, over 8,000 observers representing 27 local organizations, and approximately 1,000 media representatives from 73 media outlets. The Election Administration of Georgia is fully prepared to administer the elections transparently, in compliance with the law, and at a high professional standard.

Voters are remined of the voting procedures - at polling stations where electronic voting is conducted, each voter will receive one ballot paper divided into three columns. Along with the ballot, the registrar will issue a specially designed frame-envelope. Using a special marker, the voter must color/mark the inner circle in front of only one electoral subject or candidate in each column, as preferred. The completed ballot must then be inserted into the vote counting machine under the slot cover using the provided frame-envelope. It should be noted that this slot cover is being used for the first time in elections this year.

The electronic voting machines are not connected to the internet, eliminating any risk of cyber interference. Voting is secret, and photo or video recording inside the voting booth is prohibited. Elections are a common cause, therefore, we first and foremost call on all voters to be active and come to the polls. We also appeal to all stakeholders - registered political parties, local and international observer organizations, and media representatives - to contribute to conducting the elections in a calm and free environment. Throughout the day, the CEC Contact Hub will be operating at 2 51 00 51, and the Media Center will function in continuous mode, providing information and assistance to the media and all stakeholders involved in the electoral process.