NDI has released results of a public opinion survey designed to measure Georgian voters’ attitudes toward parliamentary elections expected in October.

If the elections were held tomorrow, the poll found, 38 percent of likely voters said their first choice would be the United National Movement (UNM); 22 percent said “don’t know”; 18 percent chose Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream Coalition; 16 percent refused to answer; 4 percent said “no party”; and 3 percent said the Christian Democratic Movement (CDM).

These findings were part of a larger survey that found that voters care most about jobs, territorial integrity and affordable healthcare.

In the past, NDI has shared findings on parties’ and politicians’ ratings privately with parties. This information has in some cases been leaked to the public domain, resulting in misinterpretations of the findings, as well as challenges to the methodology and to the continuation of political poll ratings.

Luis Navarro, NDI’s country director in Georgia, said, “It is important for political and civic leaders to have access to the most reliable and impartial information possible. We wanted to minimize the possibility for misrepresentations or misinterpretations.” NDI is thus releasing the ratings publicly in order to provide maximum transparency and context around the data.

NDI’s survey work is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and carried out by the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC).

Read the survey results in English or Georgian»

Related:

• Statement of NDI's pre-election delegation to Georgia»
• Jobs remain top issue as Georgian elections approach, NDI survey finds»
• Georgian parliament's new television program gives constituents first look at their members of parliament»

Published July 16, 2012