Male Saudi citizens in Riyadh will tomorrow begin registering to vote in forthcoming municipal elections.
According to the committee supervising elections, an agreement has been concluded with a private company for installation of a computerized network to store all data related to registration and ballot centres. The network will store the citizen’s name, his age, his identification number and place of birth. It will also record the ballot centre at which he registers to vote.
Citizens registering to vote will be asked to show property deeds, rental agreements with their landlords, or water and electricity bills to provide proof of residency in the area. If none of the above is available, the testimony of two witnesses will be accepted, according to a report published today by Arab News.
In accordance with election regulations issued by the Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs, every male citizen above the age of 21 has the right to vote, provided that he is not serving in the military.
The Election Committee said that if a citizen owns residences in more than one area of the Kingdom, he must select one region in which to register at a ballot centre. Citizens who wish to nominate themselves as candidates will have to register as Saudi nationals in a ballot centre and then register their names for offices on specified dates. The Riyadh Region will be the first in the Kingdom to begin registration at ballot centres tomorrow. Registration will continue for a month.
Registration in Riyadh will be followed by registration beginning 13 December in the Eastern Province, Asir, Jizan, Najran and Baha. The third phase will include the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Qasim, Tabouk, Hail, Jouf and Northern areas. All ballot centres in the capital will be open for citizens tomorrow from 4:30 to 9:30pm.
The following is the schedule for the voting process in Riyadh:
Voter registration: 22 November to 22 December (corresponding to 10 Shawwal - 10 Dul Qaada, 1425); publication of list of voters’ names: 25 December (13 Dul Qaada, 1425); registration of candidates: 26 - 30 December (14 - 18 Dul Qaada, 1425); preliminary list of candidates: 2 January, 2005 (21 Dul Qaada, 1425); final list of candidates: 29 January, 2005 (18 Dul Hijja, 1425); candidates’ campaigns: 29 January - 9 February, 2005 (18 Dul Hijja - 29 Dul Hijja, 1425); voting: 10 February, 2005 (1 Muharram, 1426).
Source: SPA
