VOTER TURNOUT IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AT 39.85 PER CENT

This time, the councils will have 143 new faces, while others have been elected for the second time. Many young candidates contested the elections, he said.

“There were new faces who came forward with a clearcut strategy, showcasing it on the social media,” said Talal al Saadi, referring to Amna al Balushi, a victorious candidate from Seeb. “There are other new faces and I think their outlook will be very effective.”

The first elections saw three women elected to the councils. In the latest election, seven women have been elected, including two from the Wilayat of Sinaina. “Women’s membership in the municipal councils shows that Omani women have won the confidence of society,” said the undersecretary.

He said the social media has played an important role for the candidates. Voters have 10 days (starting from Monday) for raising objections to the election results. Ten more seats have been added in five wilayats, namely Bahla, Liwa, Musannah, Jaalan Bani Bu Hassan and Jaalan Bani Bu Ali because of the increase in population.

Meanwhile, Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidy, Minister of Interior said, “As per the provision of the Municipal Councils’ Law and its Executive Regulation, the Municipal Councils’ 2nd Term Elections were organised on December 18 and December 25, 2016.” “It gives me a pleasure to express utmost thanks and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for the great care and wise guidance which secured involvement of all members of society in the comprehensive development march in the Sultanate,” he added.

He furthered that new IT technologies were used in the election process. These technologies included receiving and approving the application forms electronically.

“Voting forms were also placed in a special box that was provided with a system, which reads and sorts out the forms electronically. Many measures were also in place to facilitate the casting of votes by voters and ensure full transparency and accuracy of the election process, as planned,” he noted.