Voters Rush to the Polls in EP

Molouk Y. Ba-Isa, Arab News

ALKHOBAR, 4 March 2005 — They began lining up at 7 a.m. at polling stations across the Eastern Province. It was a historic moment and those who had been prescient enough to understand the significance of registering to vote back in January wanted to be on hand to take part in yesterday’s election for the new municipal council. Only half the council seats are being contested, with the remainder to be appointed.

The election in the Eastern Province was the second of three stages in which municipal council members are being chosen Kingdomwide. Men in Riyadh and its surrounding towns voted last month, while Western and Northern Regions will vote in April. Women are barred from standing or voting, although officials say they are planning to allow women to take part in the next elections in four years’ time.

Election officials claim that more than 206,650 voters were registered and 800 candidates were running in the Eastern Province. Another 115,000 voters were registered to fill in ballots in the southwest of the Kingdom where more than 1,700 candidates are standing for election in Najran, Asir, Jizan and Al-Baha. The results of the elections are expected tomorrow.

The Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, home of the majority of Saudi Shi’is, is taking the municipal elections very seriously. This is a good report, filed by a Saudi-American reporter resident in the region. Definitely worth reading, if you’re following the elections.