RIYADH, 21 November 2004 — Male Saudi citizens in the capital will begin registering tomorrow — (Monday, Nov. 22) — to vote in the coming historic municipal elections.
According to the committee supervising the elections, an agreement has been reached with a private company for the installation of a computerized network which will store all data related to registration and ballot centers.
The network will store the citizen’s name, his age, his ID number and place of birth. It will also record the ballot center at which he registers to vote.
According to a spokesman, the network will not allow any citizen to register more than once even if he attempts to do so at another location in the Kingdom.
Those registering will be asked to show property deeds, or rental agreements with their landlords, or water and electricity bills to provide proof of residency in the area. If none of the above are available, the testimony of two witnesses will be accepted.
According to the election regulations made public by the Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs, every male citizen has the right to vote, provided that he is above 21 and that he is not in the military.
The committee said that if a citizen has residences in different areas of the Kingdom he will have to choose one and register at a ballot center in that region. Those citizens who wish to nominate themselves as candidates will have to register first as Saudi nationals in a ballot center and then register their names for offices on specified dates.
The Riyadh region will be the first in the Kingdom to begin voter registration at ballot centers tomorrow; the registration will continue for a month.
Registration in Riyadh will be followed by registrations beginning on Dec. 13 in the Eastern Province, Asir, Jizan, Najran and Baha. The third phase will include the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Qassim, Tabuk, Hail, Jouf and Northern areas. All ballot centers in the capital will open their doors tomorrow from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for citizens.
Below is the schedule for the voting process in Riyadh:
Voter registration: From Nov. 22 to Dec. 22 (corresponding to Shawwal 10, 1425 to Dul Qaada 10, 1425).
Publication of list of voters names: On Dec. 25 (Dul Qaada 13, 1425)
Registration of candidates: From Dec. 26 to 30 (Dul Qaada 14, 1425 to Dul Qaada 18, 1425)
Preliminary list of candidates: On Jan. 2, 2005 (Dul Qaada 21, 1425)
Final list of candidates: On Jan. 29, 2005 (Dul Hijja 18, 1425)
Candidates’ campaigns: From Jan. 29, 2005 to Feb. 9, 2005 (Dul Hijja 18, 1425 to Dul Hijja 29, 1425)
Voting: Feb. 10, 2005 (Muharram 1, 1426)
