The Kingdom’s third municipal council elections that involve women as candidates and voters for the first time would take place in the month of Dhul Qada, a leading official said recently.
Abdulrahman Al-Dahmash, chairman of the General Committee for the Election of Municipal Council Members, made the announcement recently, according to a report in a local publication.
The month of Dhul Qada runs from Aug. 16 to Sept. 13, and comes after Ramadan.
Al-Dahmash said this election would see several changes, the most important being the participation of women for the first time. Women candidates would be able to nominate themselves.
Special provision would be made for women to participate in compliance with Islamic law. Local committees, with women making up 20 percent of their members, have been set up in all regions to organize the elections, he said.
Al-Dahmash was speaking for the minister of municipal and rural affairs at a seminar on councils organized by the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh.
He said it is hoped the elections would bring about a new phase in the development of municipalities into the future, and that it was in line with a “growing culture” of voting in Saudi society.
He said the changes to this year’s elections would see two-thirds of every council made up of elected members, compared to half previously. In addition, the voting age has been reduced from 21 to 18 to allow for more youth participation.
Al-Dahmash said the councils would have greater powers to monitor the performance of municipalities, including oversight over budgets, operational matters and investment and development projects.
The Leadership Development Center at the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh organized the seminar to discuss challenges facing municipalities around the country. This includes delivering top class public services.
Municipal elections after Ramadan
