Noticias

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has admitted that voter registration is still slow but clarified that this has nothing to do with the start of the new academic year.
Hamad Al-Omar, who heads the ministry’s media and public affairs department, was quoted as saying by a local publication on Monday that election stations open promptly at 4 p.m.

JEDDAH: Tribal politics has once again come into play in Hafr Al-Baten in the Eastern Province, with the city witnessing “primaries” to choose a common candidate, local media reported Sunday.
Lobbying for common candidates reportedly started in the month of Ramadan, although such practice is banned by the Interior Ministry.
Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp raged with campaigns to form tribal blocs to choose potential candidates for the Dec. 12 municipal elections.

JEDDAH: Candidates standing in the upcoming municipal council elections would have to spend considerable amounts on campaigning to get elected, with a spot as chairperson likely to cost between SR10,000 and SR2 million, according to a report in a local publication on Thursday.
The reason candidates are likely to spend more is that there would be intense competition for places now that councils would have a great deal more powers than in the past, the report said.

JEDDAH: The municipal election committee on Wednesday held a training session for 45 poll staff members, who were given instructions in conducting elections in a smooth manner.

MAKKAH — The registration of voters for the third municipal elections will begin in Makkah on Sunday, according to Mayor Osama Albar, who is the chairman of the province's local committee for elections.

He said the registration of candidates who will contest the elections will begin on Aug. 30.

Albar said the General Committee for the Elections has agreed to advance the registration of voters in Makkah due to the holy city's special circumstances stemming from the large number of people coming for the annual Haj.

HAIL: The local election committee in Hail has revealed that voter registration is a pre-condition to cast the ballot, while emphasizing on enrolling themselves in the voter registry, which begins on Aug. 22 and continues for 21 days. 
Saad Al-Thuweini of the media directorate in Hail municipality said that a voting register will be allocated to both men and women in election centers, saying that every citizen is eligible to vote if he or she aged above 18 years. 

RIYADH: The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has banned the display of photos of candidates during campaigning for the upcoming municipal elections.

Saudi women will be able to stand and vote in the municipal elections scheduled for next year, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

Saudi Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour Bin Miteb confirmed that “women have the right to contest the elections just like men, without facing any discrimination,” adding that Saudi women will also be issued campaign permits.

Recent reports claim that up to 22 women are expected to contest next year’s municipal council elections.