RIYADH, 17 February 2005 — Wireless or wired, Saudis are getting decidedly high-tech, with a website dedicated to the municipal elections becoming a popular place for the web-surfing set.
Not only that, but women miffed about being left out of the real elections can practice their balloting skills in an “e-poll.”
A record number of four million hits have been logged at www.saudielection.com since the first stage of the municipal elections ended on Feb. 10. With the election scene shifting to the Eastern Province, where the polling will be on March 3, followed by Jeddah on April 21, the website will feature a question-and-answer session with election officials, Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed, the website’s founder, told Arab News.
He said candidates in the municipal elections also will be available to answer questions or clarify election matters. Additionally, men and women and young people will be able to participate in a virtual poll along similar lines to one organized during the Riyadh elections.
“Our site has an online polling system so that men, women and youths choose freely in the Eastern Province and the Western Province to gauge the popularity of their candidates via http://saudielection.com/ar/vb303/forumdisplay.php?f=62. The virtual poll is being held in order to emphasize to the voting public the need to participate in the real balloting coming soon. The elections are evoking a great deal of interest, both inside the Kingdom and abroad.”
The website provides a popular platform for the public to get an insight on the election process and the issues at stake. The elections not only interest citizens but expatriates as well, who will be able to address their concerns to the municipal council members representing their constituency.
Al-Rasheed said the launch of the question-and-answer session on their website comes in the wake of alleged irregularities and rule infractions during the Riyadh balloting, topics that may be raised in the question-and-answer session, though it is designed as a forum for various issues involved in the coming elections.
