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    Posted October 2, 2012 by
    DerJon
    Location
    Georgia
    Assignment
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    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    Breaking news

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    Georgian Elections: The Night and Day After

    By DerJon  |  Posted October 2, 2012  |  Georgia
     

    CNN PRODUCER NOTE     iReporter DerJon, an American teacher living in the Imereti region in central Georgia, said the scene was calm on Monday night and Tuesday morning after the country's parliamentary polls, in which Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has conceded defeat to the Georgian Dream alliance led by billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili. Despite the area largely being one supporting Saakashvili there has been no unrest in his area, he says. "It turns out the election was considered free and fair, at least in our little village," he says. "People were gathered outside the local convenience store discussing the outcome."
    - sarahbrowngb, CNN iReport producer

    Last night, just after polls had closed, the many villagers in Geguti (Imereti Region of Georgia) were still hanging around the Culture House. They were discussing what had happened during the election, most of them happy and in good spirits. As the night went on, though, things became clearer. The exit polls showed the opposition Georgian Dream Coalition (#41), led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, leading Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement (#5). Slowly, phones started ringing, and people started heading for home. Finally the other ballot box from the village arrived, and the counting could begin. People seemed nervous. No one here wanted anything bad to happen

    The next morning, everything in the village was quiet. People got up to do their normal workday routines. I went off to school as I always did, met by the same smiling faces of students and teachers alike. Teachers were calmly discussing the elections amongst themselves. All of them said they had voted, not many keen on saying for whom they voted, but no one was overly angry or upset about the outcome (which is still being officially counted nationwide at the time of this writing).

    After I got done at school, I took a walk around the village. The police smiled at me as I walked by. No incidents to report. Turns out the election was considered free and fair, at least in our little village, just south of Kutaisi. People were gathered outside the local convenience store, but again, just discussing the outcome. Finally, I walked into what was the polling place. There were some leftover ballot envelopes, a few arrows on the wall showing people where to go, and some voter instruction sheets on a table, but other than that, no trace of the polling place it had been the night before. It was back to just being the community library. The school's music teacher was cleaning up, and cheerfully asked me how I was doing.

    For now at least, things are quiet, calm, and normal. There are still some signs up around the village, but life has returned to normal.

    Also, CNN just reported that President Mikheil Saakashvili has just conceded the election. Things are still calm and quiet here in Geguti. Daily life continues on.

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