The CEC and the Training Center started the implementation of one of the most important directions of the preparation phase for October 4, 2025 Municipal Elections, which provides retraining of the corps of trainers.

The project is large-scale, 279 persons will pass the training. At the next stage, trained trainers will conduct intensive trainings for the members of Precinct Election Commissions (PEC) in the operational territory of 73 District Election Commissions.

Training of trainers will be carried out through the period of August 6-17, 2025. The opening part of the event was led by Giorgi Kalandarishvili, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and Natia Zaalishvili, Director of the Centre for Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training (Training Centre).

The CEC Chairman spoke about the process of preparing for the Municipal Elections and emphasized the importance of professional training of election commissions, which aims to provide voters with high-standard election services. Natia Zaalishvili, Director of the Training Center, introduced the participants to the training concept developed for the elections, which, based on the methodology of theoretical and practical training, serves to increase the qualification of election administrators.

In order to implement the training programs for the PECs’ members, the trainers will undergo training in two profile directions:

• Program for PECs’ members, who conduct the polling process using electronic election machines (target audience: 2 284 commission members);
• Program for PECs’ members, who conduct the polling process without using electronic election machines (Target audience: 767 commission members).

The participants of the training will receive detailed information about the activities to be performed by the PECs and the standards, the uniform fulfillment of which is essential in the process of providing services to the voters, in the period before the E-day and during the polling process. During the training, an important place will be devoted to such issues as: equal and accessible electoral services for each voter, guaranteeing the free expression of the voter's will, secrecy of vote and protection of voter's personal data at the polling station, creation and support of an inclusive electoral environment, ensuring conditions for unhindered observation of the process. In this regard, the guiding principles of the PEC's activity (legality, political neutrality, professionalism), ethics norms and obligations to be fulfilled within the mandate of the PEC are discussed.

The trainers trained by the Training Centre will conduct the trainings for the PECs with the following system:

• Five-stage training system - will be assigned to the PECs, which will conduct the polling process using electronic election machines;
• Four-stage training system - will be assigned to the PECs, which will conduct the polling process without using electronic election machines.

In addition, it is envisaged that the trainers will conduct an additional stage of training, in which the replaced members of the PECs and those members who could not attend the previous training stage will participate.

In accordance with the concept developed by the Training Centre, the trainers will carry out the trainings for the PECs using the combined training methodology. Simulations and role-playing games are provided in order to analyze and study the management of electronic election machines, the procedural innovations of voting, and the conduct of the vote counting process. With the maximum load of practical exercises, trainings will be held in relation to the teaching of the procedure for filling out the summary protocols of voting results.

After completing the training program, the trainers will conduct trainings for PECs’ members through the period of August 21 - September 26, 2025. Detailed schedules will be published on the websites of the CEC and the Training Centre before the start of the trainings.