JEDDAH: Municipal councils must have two-thirds of their members elected at the polls taking place on Dec. 12, a local publication reported recently.
The government had announced last year that municipal councils can have up to 30 members, depending on the area they serve. The Municipal and Rural Affairs Ministry has been empowered to appoint one-third of the members. Only half were previously elected.
The law overseeing councils states that mayors are members and have the power to determine who stand in their place if they are absent.
The law states that there would be 30 members on councils in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and the Eastern Province; 24 in Taif and Al-Ahsa; and 21 in Qasim, Asir, Hail, Tabuk, Jazan, Baha, Najran, Jouf and the Northern Border.
Category A municipalities with 18 members include Khamis Mushayt, Hafr Al-Baten, Qatif, Al-Kharj, Unaizah and Yanbu. Category B will have 15 members, C category 12 members and D category nine members.
The law states that councils must hold their first sessions within 15 days of the elections under the leadership of the oldest member, and then appoint a chairperson.
There are 285 councils linked organizationally to the ministry and are legal entities with financial and administrative independence. Article 45 of the legislation sets out the powers and functions of the councils.
The municipal elections will be held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Dec. 12 with the results announced the following day, according to reports.
The whole election process, including campaigning by candidates, takes place over three months. Voters can register between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. from Aug. 22 to Sept. 14. Candidates can do so from Aug. 30 to Sept. 17.
Preliminary lists of candidates will be published on Sept. 30 while the last date for withdrawal is Nov. 19, when the final list of candidates will be announced.
