JEDDAH, 11 October 2004 — Elections… elections… elections! No country on earth has popularized the concept of electoral campaigns like the United States of America. The single most watched televised show on earth has enabled a worldwide audience to experience, first hand, the amount of extensive planning and commitment required to run for office.
Both Bush and Kerry have proved to the world that it takes a lot of hard work and energy to keep up with the grueling challenge of a campaign trail. That trail, if well planned, will ultimately lead one of the two contestants to become the most powerful man in the world.
While the United States will be electing (or re-electing) its president, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be electing the first members to its founding municipal councils. Unlike the seasoned citizens of the United States, Saudis are newcomers to this competitive and challenging event.
As the electoral dates approach, the general mood of the public is one of anticipation and apprehension. Until now, the general public has not had any information as to what role the municipal councils will be playing or the manner in which their function will be aligned to and coordinated with the existing municipalities. In the absence of such clarifications, Saudis are left to speculate and wonder.
Even though the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs had previously declared that they would be launching several public awareness campaigns regarding the issue, nothing of the sort has happened. With the elections just a couple of months away, we seem to be running out of time.
What we need to do is to take on that responsibility and educate ourselves in the process of voting and participating in the elections.
The success or failure of any municipal council lies in the degree to which its citizenry is educated and informed. Public service requires individuals to be on the lookout for the “know what” and the “know how” of local matters. The primary responsibility of a municipal council is to improve the living conditions of the citizens, so the first thing voters and contesters need to do is to familiarize themselves with the issues and concerns of living conditions.
Everyone who plans to vote needs to know what their chosen candidate will do for them once elected and how he or she plans to get the job done. The candidate you vote for is in effect your representative.
She must be assessed and chosen with care. She must reflect your values and voice your concerns. If you choose wrongly or if you do not devote enough time to researching her background, then you abrogate your right to choose responsibly.
If, on the other hand, you do your homework and are nearly certain that your candidate can and will work on the issues you have identified, then you would have fully exercised your right as an “informed” and “deliberate” voter.
It is with this in view that Saudi Arabia took the decision to constitute 178 local municipal councils through elections. If this process proves anything, it is that our government is dedicated to establishing civil societies manned by responsible and committed citizens. As such, it is our responsibility to live up to this great expectation by empowering ourselves to be on the “know what” and the “know how” of the electoral process. Having done that you the voter must then take on the responsibility of putting into office only those candidates you know have a reputation for leadership and who are worthy of public trust and responsibility.
Potential voters should ask certain questions as they shop around for and evaluate candidates. Is the candidate intelligent or is she just filling an image? Is he qualified for the job? Does she have the education and experience to handle the job? Do you agree with the program and ideas he has proposed? Are you comfortable with the groups and individuals who support her? Can you trust her? Is she a leader or a follower? And finally does she have ideas of her own?
If you, as a voter, are able to answer some of these questions honestly and objectively, you will be on the right track. It is wise to be wary of candidates who make appeals to your emotions instead of your intelligence. Watch out for candidates who tell you what they think you want to hear. Most important, make sure you look out diligently for candidates who seem to be aware of problems by pointing them out clearly, but who are unable to propose realistic solutions.
Once you have selected your candidate, don’t shy away from voicing your support and assistance to her directly. Volunteer your time, contribute to her fund-raising activities, lobby for her by urging others to support her and remember to vote for him on election day!
— Fatin Bundagji is director, Women’s Empowerment and Research at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
