RIYADH/DHULUM: The second stage of voter registration for the upcoming municipal council elections starts today and will continue until Thursday June 2 for five hours daily, it has been announced. The government also announced the criteria for voting, standing as a candidate and other rules pertaining to the elections, which takes place in September. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has assigned a special team to monitor websites where candidates campaign on the basis of tribalism. The ministry wants to outlaw this practice and any other forms of discrimination in the run-up to the polls. The ministry's move comes in the wake of a number of websites carrying promotional material urging people to vote for a certain tribe or family. This violates the regulations and procedures approved by the ministry. Sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette a total of 1.1 million citizens have registered for the elections and vote for a possible 5,000 candidates. The local committees overseeing the elections in the regions have specified certain centers for the registration of candidates. It was decided to specify one voting center for each election circuit in which the candidates are registered. Meanwhile, the preliminary lists of candidates for the elections will be announced on June 18. Candidates will have until Thursday June 23 to withdraw their names from the ballot. Appeals or objections to the preliminary lists will be allowed during the period June 25 to 27. After considering the appeals and objections, the final list of candidates will be announced on Saturday September 10. The General Committee for Elections has outlined the functions of the election centers for the second phase of voter registration. The centers have to receive candidates and register their data on special forms. It has also assigned the centers to register the data of candidates' representatives in specific registers; and issue identity cards to candidates and their representatives to allow them to enter election centers. The General Committee for Elections also announced the conditions required for a candidate to become a member of a municipal council. A candidate should have registered his name during the voter registration periods. He should be a Saudi national by blood and birth or a naturalized citizen for 10 years after he obtained Saudi citizenship. He should be at least 25 years old on voting day. He should be residing permanently within the jurisdiction of the municipality throughout the period of his membership. He should not have been convicted of a serious crime, known as “Hudood” crimes under the Islamic Shariah, or been jailed for a crime of honor or integrity. At least five years should have passed since the “Hudood” punishment or after completion of the prison term. The candidate should also not have been fired from public service for disciplinary reasons. However, if he was sacked, five years should have elapsed since the sacking. The candidate should know how to read and write and be mentally competent. No court verdict should have been passed against him for fraudulent bankruptcy. The general committee has warned that candidates cannot stand for election in two municipal councils. The candidate should not be an employee of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs or municipal authorities provided at least one year has passed since his resignation or transfer from his job. This does not apply if he is employed by a municipal council. The general committee has stipulated that the candidate should not be a governor of a governorate, head of a center, a district chief (Umdah), tribal chief, or a person holding an official post. Also, it has barred members of the Shoura Council and its secretaries, and members of the regional council and local council to stand as candidates, among many other conditions.
