Doha
More than 23,000 Qatari voters are set to cast their votes in the Central Municipal Council (CMC) election for 26 constituencies across the country on Wednesday.
A total of 118 candidates, including five women, are in fray. Three seats have been won uncontested. Eighteen candidates have pulled out of the contest. The current number of candidates includes sitting member Sheikha al-Jufairi.
Voting will begin at 8am at select independent schools, with one school for each constituency. The election will end at 5pm and the results announced later on Wednesday.
In the last-minute push, the candidates made best use of social media to woo the voters by responding to their comments and questions.
They have also been interacting with their voters throughout the campaigning making promises like improvement in civic services.
The Supervisory Committee of the Executive Committees for CMC at its fifth round held a forum on Monday to introduce the polling staff to the rules and procedures of voting.
Brigadier Abulrahman Ali al-Malki, assistant director at the General Directorate of Information Systems at the Ministry of Interior (MoI), head of the technical committee of elections, explained the technical aspects of the process.
He said the role of security personnel is limited to keeping order and security outside the voting centre and they are not allowed to enter the voting hall, unless asked for.
Only voters and candidates or their representatives are allowed in the voting hall. Voters should leave the centre as soon as they cast their votes.
Voters should produce their identity cards and registration cards and cast their votes in secrecy. Also, the candidates are not permitted to post any ads or promotional material outside or inside the voting centre.
Though the jurisdiction of the council is limited to making suggestions and recommendations, addressing them to the authorities concerned through the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP), the popularity of CMC has increased considerably among Qataris in the recent years.
"The council has matured and grown greatly throughout its four rounds and people are becoming more aware of its importance and active role. Many of its recommendations on municipal affairs have been implemented by the authorities," said outgoing CMC chairman Saud al-Hinzab, who opted out of this election.
