RIYADH/HAIL: The Department of Municipal Council Affairs at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has said that it is prepared to provide administrative and technical support and work evaluation assistance to municipal councils. Municipal elections spokesman Judai' Al-Qahtani said the department would undertake a study of municipal council issues brought to the attention of Prince Mansour Bin Mit'eb, Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, and take necessary measures accordingly upon his instructions. Al-Qahtani said the department's duties included taking councils' proposals to the minister, provided information to municipal councils and producing proposals for administrative work performance improvements. “They further include completing measures for the appointment of municipal council members, drawing up the lists of new council members, reviewing and coordinating election candidate lists to be put on record and for easy access,” he said. The Hail Local Election Committee, meanwhile, convened its third meeting of regional municipality heads representing 18 electoral districts and 29 polling stations to look at preparations for the voting procedure. Mayor of Hail Abdul Aziz Al-Toub who is chairman of the election committee, said that municipality heads “represent the committee in their electoral districts” and urged that “all tasks are being carried out in the manner sought by the government and the people”. Voter registration for the municipal council elections begins on April 22 and is open for 27 days, with the six days for candidate registration starting on May 28. Final candidate lists will be announced on Sept. 10, one day ahead of the start of campaigning. The actual voting in municipal elections will take place on Sept. 22 and the results will be announced two days later.
