CMC elections to be held today
Qatari voters will head to the polls today to elect their representatives to the sixth Central Municipal Council. Eighty five candidates, including 5 women, are contesting from 25 out of 29 constituencies. Candidates from four districts - 7th, 22nd, 27th and 28th - have been elected unopposed. The polling stations are scheduled to open at 8am today to receive voters. The voting process will continue until 5pm today, followed by the counting of votes and the announcement of the winners.
Qatari voters will head to the polls today to elect their representatives to the sixth Central Municipal Council (CMC).
In this election, 85 candidates, including 5 women, are contesting from 25 out of 29 constituencies. Candidates from four districts – 7th, 22nd, 27th and 28th – have been elected unopposed.
The polling stations are scheduled to open at 8am today to receive voters.
The voting process will continue until 5pm today, followed by the counting of votes and the announcement of the winners.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed the completion of all technical preparations to enable voters to cast their votes in a free, fair and transparent atmosphere. Several volunteers have been trained to help the voters and guide them in the polling stations.
Director of the elections department at the ministry, Major General Majid al-Khulaifi, who is also head of the election supervisory committee, said the committee has provided all means to facilitate the conduct of the electoral process in a calm and stable atmosphere.
The council operates according to the provisions of law concerning the regulations of the Central Municipal Council, and it expresses its opinions through making recommendations and issuing decisions.
It is responsible for monitoring the implementation of laws, decrees and regulations that fall under the responsibilities of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and the council, including laws, decrees and regulations related to urban and industrial planning, infrastructure and other public system.
The council is also responsible for overseeing the economic, financial and administrative management of municipal affairs and agriculture.
In an earlier statement, the Ministry of Interior called on the voters to exercise their franchise, stressing the importance of participation of all eligible citizens in these elections in view of the role played by the council in carrying out the municipal work.
The ministry pointed out that the voters must carry their ID card and to show it as they enter the electoral hall to receive the ballot paper.
The voters must choose only one candidate.
The ministry said the voting process must be confidential and the voters must not name the candidate they have chosen loudly.
Voters who are unable to cast their vote themselves should tell the head of the polling station in confidence the candidate they have chosen and cast the ballot.
The ministry has prohibited campaigning within the electoral headquarters.
Election committees should proceed with the counting of votes and announce the results after the voting.
The winner of the election is the candidate who obtains the largest number of valid votes, and in the event of a tie between more than one candidate, the committee will vote.
Following the announcement of winners, a 15-day appeals period begins the next day during where each candidate or voter may request the invalidation of the election in their constituency and submit the request in writing, including reasons for appeal, to the committee for appeals and grievances.
Al-Khulaifi said the candidate or voter should be part of the constituency in the appeal and it shall be submitted within 15 days from the date of the results.
This shall be done by filling out the form of the appeal, including the reasons on which the appeal was based.
He added that the committee for appeals and grievances will investigate the appeals and submit its report, along with its recommendations to the Municipal Council, which will decide on its validity.
If a decision is issued by the municipal council to invalidate the election of a member of a constituency, a new member shall be elected.
On Sunday, the supervisory committee for the elections organised a seminar for the heads and members of the elections committees.
The seminar dealt with ways to manage the polling process, dealing with voters, counting of the votes, announcing the winners and other procedures that guarantee transparency in the voting process.
Each committee consists of a head of the judiciary, two members from the Ministry of the Interior and a civilian from the various government departments. They must be at the electoral district headquarters at 7:30am on the election day to check the ballot boxes and open them for the candidates.