Bahrain today votes for parliamentary and municipal elections 2022

Agencies | Manama                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com  

At daybreak today, as the period of silence ends, awaiting Bahrainis are a chance to make a new step towards a brighter future. A step that would empower them and make their voices heard in the nation-building process.

Universally, the process is known as suffrage - it giving the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stance.

In Bahrain, that day is today

The process to choose parliamentary and municipal members begins at 8 am and ends at 8 pm. And awaiting 344,713 Bahraini voters for decisions are 91 candidates in the Capital, 73 in Muharraq, 103 in the Northern and 67 in the Southern directorates for the Parliament Elections.

Battling for a seat in the municipal councils are 46 candidates from Muharraq, 72 from Northern and 55 from Southern Governorates. Electing them will be through 55 public and provincial voting centres in the Kingdom and 37 voting centres abroad.

There are also four supervisory centres for the 40 electoral constituencies. Voters, the Executive Management of the Parliamentary and Municipal Elections 2022 had said, should bring their passports to complete the voting process.

The voters whose passports will not be in their possession on the polling day due to loss, cancellation or any other reason are required to review the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA) at the Ministry of Interior to request the issuance of a voting card.

449 supervisors

Monitoring the voting process are 449 supervisors representing eleven civil society institutions and the National Institution of Human Rights. Authorities have already stated that Bahrainis visiting or living in other countries had exercised their rights in 37 diplomatic missions in advance polling and that figures have exceeded the 2018 numbers.

The results of that polls abroad will get added to those in Bahrain to declare the 40 members who will constitute the Council of Representatives, one of the two chambers of the bi-cameral parliament.

The abroad ballot and count committees are in Abu Dhabi, Algeria, Amman, Ankara, Baghdad, Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Brasilia, Brussels, Cairo, Damascus, Geneva, Islamabad, Jakarta, Jeddah, Karachi, Khartoum, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Laayoune, London, Moscow, Mumbai, Muscat, Najaf, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Rabat, Riyadh, Rome, Tel Aviv, Tokyo and Tunis.

Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (DERASAT) had earlier said that they expect voters turn out in the Kingdom to range between 63% and 69%, based on a national survey. According to the survey, 18% of the voters in the Kingdom stand undecided.

The poll also showed that 49% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the performance of the Council of Representatives, compared to 36% who showed their satisfaction, while 15% do not a sufficient idea about its performance or have yet to take a stance.

The study sampled 5021 eligible nationals aged 20 and above.

What if no majority?

If no candidates receive a majority after counting the votes polled today, it will pay the way for the second round on November 19.

Exercise your rights

The elections Executive Director and Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission (LLOC) Chairman Chancellor Nawaf Abdulla Hamza, said in a statement that the electoral bodies have provided all capabilities and guarantees to ensure the success of the electoral process, under full judicial supervision.

He said that this is the strongest guarantee for the integrity of the elections in light of transparent and impartial procedures. Hamza called on all Bahraini voters to turn up at the polling centres to choose their representatives at the Council of Representatives and municipal councils, in light of the comprehensive development march led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.