73.6% participation in the local elections in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia, Politics, 2/12/2005

The rate of participation in the first phase of the Saudi municipal elections which took place on Thursday in Riyadh and its district from which women were ruled out, reached 73.6% of voters according to official preliminary results, announced by the higher committee to supervise these elections.

The figures which were officially announced indicated that 56,354 voters out of 86,462 registered in the 7 areas of the capital took part in the first elections organized in Saudi Arabia representing a rate of 65% while participation outside the capital reached 82.3%.

On the other hand, an observer for the elections said that nominees backed by religious Sheikhs are the most likely to win the elections." In a press conference in which preliminary results of the elections were announced, Suleiman al-Aqeili explained that he had read names of the first seven winners in a list issued on the Internet and that those persons are the candidates who are backed by the men of religion.

The voting operation aims at choosing half members of the 178 municipal council, while the second half will be appointed by the Saudi King. Permitted to take part in these elections are all men who are above 21 year old with the exception of military men.

The number of persons registered voters in Riyadh reached 148,000 from among 400,000 eligible to voting, according to estimates.

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