JEDDAH, 16 February 2005 — Registration of voters for municipal elections in the Western Province began yesterday, and officials were present to help would-be voters who came to register.
Across the region there are 61 election centers, with 45 located in Jeddah city and 16 in the sub-regions, including Qunfudha, Al-Laith and Rabigh.
Election registration continues for a month on a daily basis from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The flow of registering citizens was slow yesterday.
“The scarcity of those registering during the first days isn’t surprising because people know they’ve got a whole month to come and register,” said Dr. Tareq M. Khazindar of the Election Center at Industrial High School/Secondary School No. 480. “Based on my observations of the other elections, the majority of people came toward the end, nearer to the deadline. A month is long enough to enable everyone to register.”
The old real estate saying states “location is everything,” and Dr. Khazindar says the same applies to election center locations.
“The location of the election center is very important,” he told Arab News. “It should be at a well-known spot — somewhere prominent, like a public street or places that are hallmarks so the citizens wanting to register can find it easily.”
Across the region, election center workers were in place, ready and waiting to receive would-be voters. With election centers set up at municipalities, schools and institutions, direction signs were in place to guide citizens to the registration points.
The procedure was as follows:
• First: An official checks that the citizen has all the required documents for registration.
• Second: A second employee seals and stamps the documents.
• Third: The citizen is photographed for election records.
• Fourth: Another official issues the voter registration card.
When it came to the photograph some of the staff were unsure whether a person must be wearing full national dress, including “ghutra” (headdress).
At least one would-be voter thought the rules were a little vague.
“I’m working in my father’s business and living at his home, and the phone is in my father’s name,” said Ammar Ashour, a 37-year-old citizen. “They should only ask me for my ID because that’s enough to monitor registration, so that I don’t vote more than once.”
This clashes with voting-registration procedures issued by the municipality: 1. To come to the center in person and bring identification card of civil record, proof of residency, such as official rent receipts or ownership documents, electricity or phone bill or sealed verification from work. All documents are presented to the authorized employee, and all documents will be returned after registration is over.
2. If all conditions are met, the employee will fill Application No. 101 with two copies/prints. The voter will sign the application. If the applicant cannot read and write, the voter will leave fingerprint upon the application. The first copy will be given to the voter after the center’s seal is affixed.
