Where, when and how to vote in the largest election in the Emirates

Most Emirati voters will cast their ballots on Saturday in the UAE’s largest ballot to elect half the members of the country’s Federal National Council.

Thirty-nine polling stations across the UAE will accommodate the more than 330,000 Emiratis eligible to take part.

Q

Who is eligible to vote in this year’s election?

A

Only Emiratis whose names are included in the Electoral College List have the right to vote.

This year will be the largest election to date, with 337,738 Emiratis included in the list by the National Elections Committee.

Where to vote?

Abu Dhabi will have 14 polling stations – five in Abu Dhabi city, five in Al Ain and four in Al Dhafra region.

There will be six in Dubai, seven in Sharjah, two in Ajman, five in Ras Al Khaimah, two in Umm Al Quwain and three in Fujairah.

All 39 stations will open from 8am to 8pm on election day.

The National Election Committee may extend the election if deemed necessary.

How to vote?

Members of the Electoral College have the right to cast one vote for a candidate of their choice from the emirate they belong to.

Candidates can vote for themselves.

Voters must take their Emirates ID to their nearest polling station, even if it is not in the emirate they are from.

Voters cannot authorise anyone to vote on their behalf, but people with special physical needs can vote verbally and confidentially.

Voters can also cast their ballots through an electronic voting system at stations across the country.

What happens after Election Day? There are 479 Emiratis competing for 20 FNC seats.

The preliminary list of elected members will be released on Saturday after the polls close, unless an extension is announced.

Candidates can register appeals on Sunday and Monday, to which the National Elections Committee will respond between Wednesday and Thursday.

The final list of elected candidates will be announced on October 13, unless supplementary elections are held.

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the Constitution.

It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after federation.

It has 40 members and its Speaker is Dr Amal Al Qubaisi.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, while Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four each.

They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.

The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting draft federal laws, discussing international treaties and agreements and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.

The FNC is an advisory council. Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendation, when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens.

The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.

Since 2006, half the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.

In the 2015 election, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women made up 48 per cent of all voters while 67 per cent of voters were under the age of 40.

What is different this year? This year, President Sheikh Khalifa decreed that women must make up half the FNC’s 40 members.