Impressive 67% voter turnout for Sharjah polls

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Impressive 67% voter turnout for Sharjah polls

Published: Sun 31 Jan 2016, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Mon 1 Feb 2016, 9:48 AM

The first-ever elections for the Sharjah Consultative Council saw an impressive 67 per cent voter turnout, officials have said. Of the about 25,000 registered voters, 16,696 cast their votes.
The male-female ratio of voters was almost evenly split, with 58 per cent males, and the rest females. At Al Qasimi University, where the votes were counted on Sunday, officials said 9,695 males and 7,002 females cast votes.
Maliha saw the maximum number of voter turnout (87%), followed by Madam (80%), Hamriya (78%) and Dhaid (75%).
The first-ever local body election held in Sharjah has won global appreciation, that too from European Union delegation.
European Union hails elections
The European Union (EU) has hailed the Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) election as "historic and ground-breaking step towards democratic participation and empowerment of people".
An EU delegation, led by Jean-Bernard Bolvin, Deputy Head of Mission to the UAE, visited the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, the main polling centre in Sharjah City, on Sunday to observe the electoral process.
Addressing the media after the visit, Bolvin said he was 'impressed and pleasantly surprised' by the steps taken by Sharjah to ensure a transparent, smooth and simple electoral process.
He praised the elaborate arrangements made by the election committee, including the registration of voters weeks ahead, to ensure the fairness and simplicity of the vote, which registered 54 per cent turnout by the end of third day of the poll.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

By Afkar Abdullah

NA310116-MS-SCCE – officials are bringing the ballot box from northern emirates at the counting center at Al Qasimiya University hall on Sunday – Photo by M.Sajjad

NA310116-MS-SCCE –counting of the votes of Sharjah consultative council election has started at the counting center at Al Qasimiya University hall on Sunday – Photo by M.Sajjad