Saudi Arabian municipal elections, 2015

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Municipal elections in Saudi Arabian towns and cities are planned for 12 December 2015.[1][2] Following men-only elections in 2005 and 2011, women are able to participate in the 2015 election.[3][2][4]

Background[edit]

Half the seats in municipal councils in Saudi Arabia have been chosen in men-only elections since 2005. The councils have "little power".[5][6] Saudi Arabian women campaigned for the right to participate in the 2011 elections,[7][8] organising through the "Baladi" (My Country) and Saudi Women's Revolution[9] campaigns for women's right to participate.[7] Several women tried to register as electors in Jeddah,[4] Riyadh and Dammam.[10] A few days before the 2011 election took place, King Abdullah announced that women would be able to participate as voters and candidates in the 2015 election.[3][11]

Preparations[edit]

Voter registration started on 16 August 2015 in Medina and Mecca, and elsewhere starts on 22 August to continue for a 21-day period.[1]

Two women voters registered in Medina and Mecca on 16 August.[2] Hatoon al-Fassi of the Baladi campaign said that Baladi had intended to organise training sessions for voter education but was blocked by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.[1]

Candidates[edit]

Male candidates[edit]

Female candidates[edit]

About 70 women were expected to register as candidates.[1] Haifa al-Hababi, 36 years old as of August 2015, is a candidate. She stated, "Change the system. Change is life. The government has given us this tool and I intend to use it."[2]

Results[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "First Saudi women register to vote". Al Jazeera English. 2015-08-20. Archived from the original on 2015-08-20. Retrieved 2015-08-21. 
  2. ^ a b c d Withnall, Adam (2015-08-18). "Saudi women are registering to vote in elections across the country for the first time ever". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2015-08-20. Retrieved 2015-08-21. 
  3. ^ a b "Saudis vote in municipal elections, results on Sunday". Oman Observer/AFP. 2011-09-30. Archived from the original on 2011-12-14. Retrieved 2011-12-14. 
  4. ^ a b "Voters register for Saudi municipal elections". Al Jazeera English. 2011-04-23. Archived from the original on 2011-04-25. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
  5. ^ "Saudi Arabia to hold elections next month after year and a half delay". Toronto: Toronto Star/AP. 2011-03-22. Archived from the original on 2011-03-22. Retrieved 2011-03-22. 
  6. ^ "Women remain barred from voting as Saudi Arabia announces elections". The National (Abu Dhabi)/AP/Bloomberg. 2011-03-23. Archived from the original on 2011-03-22. Retrieved 2011-03-22. 
  7. ^ a b Abu-Nasr, Donna (2011-03-28). "Saudi Women Inspired by Fall of Mubarak Step Up Equality Demand". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 2011-04-02. Retrieved 2011-04-02. 
  8. ^ "In aim to start casting their votes Saudi women aim to create their own municipal council". Al Arabiya. March 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-04-02. Retrieved 2011-04-02. 
  9. ^ Kareem, Mona (2011-03-18). "The Saudi Women Revolution Statement". Archived from the original on 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2011-04-06. 
  10. ^ Shaheen, Abdul Nabi (2011-04-26). "Saudi women defy ban to register for polls". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 2011-04-25. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
  11. ^ Saudi king: Women can vote in local elections

External links[edit]

See also[edit]
Municipal elections
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