Nominations for election to the Asharqia Chamber closed Sunday. The majority of the 30 candidates filed their papers on the last day even though the process had begun around two weeks ago.

Yahya Azzan, chief election officer at the Ministry of Commerce, told Arab News that there were three women among the 30 candidates and that most of them preferred to submit their documents personally even though they had the option of submitting their applications online.

Incumbent Chairman Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed is also in the fray for the fourth time in a row. Most of the candidates supported by him had filed their nominations earlier.

According to chamber sources, Al-Rashed is out of the Kingdom and is expected to return in a week, by which time the election process would have been completed.

Women have run unsuccessfully in the past two elections.

The Minister of Commerce nominated Samira Al-Suwaig and Hana Al-Zuhair, two businesswomen, as board members.

Female candidates are trying their luck again at the election, which is likely to be held in November.

The Eastern Province is a hub of industrial activity in the Kingdom and Dammam is known for a wide range of commercial activity. The Eastern Chamber is a large organization, with representatives from Alkhobar, Dammam and Dhahran, Jubail, Qatif, Al-Khafji and Hafr Al-Batin. Some 40,000 members are enrolled in the chamber.