Poll preparations complete

RIYADH: The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has banned the display of photos of candidates during campaigning for the upcoming municipal elections.

The ministry said it would not allow any display of photo to canvass votes, an online publication said.
The ban was announced as the general committee for municipal elections said preparations for the first phase of the poll on Aug. 22 were complete.
The municipal elections’ executive committee will implement various plans on final preparations for the launch of the electoral process during the next phase.
In a meeting chaired by Agdia Qahtani, the executive committee discussed several reports from local committees. Particularly discussed was the completion of the formation of election commissions in electoral centers, provision of cadres and processing centers, furniture and office supplies in preparation for the reception of voters and candidates.
The executive committee also discussed the implementation of the different team plans in accordance with timetables.
The executive committee will receive reports periodically on the preparations from electoral commissions and centers.
Its membership includes the heads of media and organizational teams who will meet weekly to study reports from local committees on various aspects of the electoral process and report to the General Election Commission.
Media group president Hamad Al-Omar will continue the media awareness campaign during the next phase which precedes the launch of the electoral process.
He said the campaign would resume during the next few days after a pause for Eid.
Referring to the information awareness campaign during the next phase, he said this would mobilize citizens who are encouraged to register so they can participate in the electoral process and be active in municipal decision-making by choosing their representatives.
Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Fehaid, head of the technical team, said he had finished most of the work needed in preparation for the third session.
The number of women intending to nominate themselves for the elections has increased to 70. They include businesswomen and others involved in social and community services in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Tabuk, in addition to more than 80 who registered themselves as campaign managers.
According to Naila Attar, an activist and coordinator of the Baladi Initiative in Jeddah, the initiative will hold awareness seminars and workshops for female voters this month.
“The seminars will focus on urging all Saudi women to participate and exercise their right as citizens and voters in the election.”
Attar said the awareness program initiatives will include a training course to boost the capabilities of candidates and train them about selecting the electoral message, and convincing the public about the electoral platform of the candidates, the role expected from them as members of the municipal council and how to grab the largest proportion of votes.