Municipal election: 3 women win seats in Makkah region

MAKKAH: At least three women won municipal council seats in Makkah region during Saturday's election, the Saudi Electoral Commission said on Sunday.
A preliminary commission report carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) listed one of the women winners as Salma bint Hizab Al-Oteibi, who was elected to the council of Madrakah, a village north of the holy city of Makkah.

Election commission president Osama Al-Bar was quoted by SPA as saying Salma Al-Oteibi ran against seven men and two women.

Sabq online news site said that two women also won in Jeddah, which is part Makkah region. It identified the winners as Dr. Luma Al Sulaiman and Rasha Hifdhim.

Some 6,440 candidates, including more than 900 women, participated in the landmark election, the third ever in the kingdom.

Al Bar said the election in the region had been orderly and peaceful.