8.31 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Municipal council polls in Saudi today

Published
By Wam

Saudi voters will be heading to the polls on Saturday to elect members of the municipal councils in its third session, which has been reviewed to allow voters to elect two-thirds of the total members instead of half, while the age of the eligible voters has been reduced from 21 to 18.
 
The municipal councils in Saudi Arabia are 284 in various regions and governorates of the Kingdom. A total of  6,917 candidates include 979 woman, who will compete in the elections. Separate polling stations have been allocated for women.
 
This is the first time Saudi women are participating as candidates and voters in the elections.
 
The General Committee for Municipal Elections announced that by Thursday mid-night (12pm on December 10) all municipal election campaigns should have ceased to allow voters enjoy Friday as the Election Silence Day, which gives a chance to each voter to make up his/her mind over favourite candidates.
 
Chairman of the Committee, Judae bin Nahar Al-Gahtani, who is also the municipal elections spokesman, said candidates violating the silence day through showing up to influence voters in any way would receive penalties that might cause their elimination at a further appeal phase.
 
He told Emirates News Agency that the local committees for the municipal elections in all regions and cities of the Kingdom are ready to receive the male and female voters in all the polling stations on Saturday, adding that the polling stations will open at 8am to 5pm.