Emiratis Continue to Throng Polling Centres Across the Emirate With Family, Friends on Friday for Sharjah Consultative Council Polls

Election committee Chairman HE Mansour Mohammad Nassar says all arrangements in place to ensure smooth polling and transparent counting of votes

SHARJAH/Sharjah Consultative Council, January 30, 2016: Emiratis continued to throng polling stations across Sharjah with family and friends on Friday to cast their ballot on the day two of the ongoing Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) elections. The first ever polls to the 42-member Sharjah advisory body opened on Thursday, January 28, amid much fanfare and are to continue until Sunday, January 31. 
  
The popular response to Sharjah’s nascent political and democratic experiment has been overwhelming with Emiratis turning up in large numbers on Thursday and Friday to vote with infectious zeal and excitement at the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and at polling stations in nine electoral zones across the Emirate.

Many of the nationals, who are voting for the first time, were euphoric about the whole experience of voting and electing their representatives. Even the Friday sermon in mosques across Sharjah was dedicated to the importance of shoura or the concept of consultation in Islam.  
 
Expressing his satisfaction over the successful and smooth polling so far, HE Mansour Mohammad Nassar, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for SCC Elections, said that no effort is being spared to ensure the transparency and fairness of the first election to the Sharjah Council. A special control room has been set up at the Sharjah Consultative Council to monitor the electoral process across the Emirate and quickly respond in case there is a technical glitch or disruption.  

The Chairman of the Election Committee also said that all arrangements are in place for the counting of votes that commences soon after the polling concludes on Sunday, January 31. In this connection, the Election Committee has conducted a special training workshop for polling officials responsible for counting of votes.  The officials have been trained to determine a valid or invalid vote. For instance, if a voter selects two of the candidates, instead of picking one, such a vote is liable to be rejected as invalid. 

HE Nassar said that under the supervision of the Supreme Election Committee, three polling committees have been constituted to oversee the counting of votes. While one committee is dedicated to counting of votes in Sharjah City, Hamriya, Dhaid, Madam and Bataeh come under a second committee and Khorfakkan, Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn fall under a third committee.  Each committee consists of seven members.     

The day two of the election also saw a number of dignitaries who visited the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, the main polling centre, on Friday to either cast their vote or observe the polling. HE Abdullah Bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works, who was one of the early voters today, lauded the arrangements made by the Supreme Committee for SCC Elections for a smooth, transparent and orderly election.  Thanking the organisers, the Minister of Public Works congratulated the people of Sharjah on having the right and opportunity to choose their own representatives and having their say in the affairs and development of the Emirate and the nation. 

Meanwhile on Friday, HE Talib bin Saqr, head of election committee for the Khorfakkan constituency opened the polling in Khorfakan. HE Mesbah Katbi, head of the Kalba election committee opened the voting process for the second day in Kalba while HE Mubarak Al Shamsi, head of the election committee for Bataeh opened the polling in Bataeh city.

In accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the SCC elections are being held under the slogan of ‘Take Part in Decision Making.’
 
The citizens have the opportunity to elect representatives of their choice for half of the 42-member Council, making themselves part of the decision-making process and governance in the Emirate. A total of 195 candidates, including 43 women, are in fray for seats spread across the Emirate in Kalba, Khorfakkan, Dhaid, Dibba Al Hisn, Bataeh, Maliha, Hamriya, and Madam.

The elections to the highest advisory and decision-making body in the Emirate are being seen as groundbreaking milestone for Sharjah and the UAE. The decision to hold the elections came after His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah announced that the SCC would have half of its 42 members directly elected for the upcoming term.

Up to 24,952 people above the age of 21, including 13,794 men and 11,158 women, from across the Emirate have registered as voters and are set to cast their ballots at any of  the nine polling stations over the next four days, between 8am and 8pm.  

The counting process will be telecast live on various television channels and media outlets of Sharjah Media Corporation. The live transmission will continue throughout the night until the end of the counting and declaration of results, according to the Election Committee.

Details about the SCC elections and voting process can be obtained by calling 80080000 or by visiting www.ccsharjah.gov.ae.