Riyadh, September 30: Low turnout is being reported in Saudi Arabia’s second ever municipal elections where lukewarm voters are casting their ballots in the men-only polls.
Only a few voters went to the polling stations in the nationwide elections, which started on Thursday. The vote will continue on Friday, with the results expected on Sunday.
Like previous polls, women do not have the right to vote, but Riyadh has pledged that they will be able to cast ballots in the next municipal elections in 2015.
Only 1.08 million Saudi men even registered to vote in the elections in the country, where political parties are banned and campaigning is strictly controlled.
This year, campaigning was limited to advertisements in newspapers or posters, but none of which referred to the major issues of disagreement between liberal and conservative Saudi citizens.
More than 5,300 male candidates are vying to fill half the seats in councils across the kingdom. The other half are appointed by the ruling monarchy.
Saudi Arabia does not have a parliament. Instead, it has a Shura Council –an assembly appointed by the king — with a similar mandate to advise but not legislate.
The council’s limited role includes deciding on a municipal budget, suggesting planning regulations and overseeing city projects.
——Agencies