Shura Council elections draw a large turnout

Doha: Among the 30 constituencies in Qatar, 29 polling stations held the first elections for the Shura Council as a candidate for Constituency No. 5 was already elected unopposed. There are 229 contenders for the 30 seats, including 26 women.

Voting began at 8 a.m. following the COVID-19 protocol and finished by 6 p.m. Many voters attended the polling stations. From verification to collecting ballot papers and casting the vote, the voting process is quick and easy. To ensure a smooth election process, the Ministry of Interior has deployed sufficient security personnel as well as volunteers from the Qatar Red Crescent Society.

Voting is being conducted separately for men and women in a large gym-sized hall. Voters must prove that they are registered on the Ehteraz app at the entrance, then check their status at a counter for verification, before obtaining ballot paper from another counter. An area is set up to allow the voters to sit and watch the whole voting process. Each candidate is made sure that the ballot boxes are empty, this is to increase transparency. The election officer calls the candidates to check the ballot box is empty and seals it in front of them.