Pakistan International School Jeddah – English Section

(A2) Saudi Studies- Fist Term

Lesson 5

Elections in the Kingdom

‫االنتخابات يف المملكة‬
1. Election system
The election system in Saudi Arabia has been allocated to executive positions in the Kingdom, allowing citizens
to participate in decision-making and management. The concept of elections is generally based on casting a
group of citizens who meet the conditions necessary to exercise the right to vote for the candidates within an
organized process according to the approved voting systems.

2. Types of elections in the Kingdom ‫أنواع االنتخابات يف المملكة‬

1- Municipal council elections

Municipal council elections allow citizens to participate in decision-making by selecting qualifiedand

experienced people to manage local affairs and municipal services.

2- Chamber of Commerce and Industry elections

The members' direct vote chooses the boards of directors of the Chambers of Commerce andIndustry. This
is to select distinguished people in business to represent a new impetus for thechambers' work.

3- University elections

Students elect presidents of student clubs; Where they choose those who see in him the ability torepresent
them in demanding their rights and achieving their desires and goals

4- Bodies elections
• Elections for the Saudi Council of Engineers elect their representatives to be in leadershippositions on
the board of directors of the Saudi Council of Engineers, which works to organize engineers' lives and
manage their affairs.
• Elections for the Saudi Journalists Association the Board of Directors of the Saudi Journalists
Association is elected through an electoral process in which the committeemembers participate.

5- Cooperative societies elections

Members of the boards of directors of cooperative societies operating in Saudi Arabia, whichnumber
approximately 162 cooperative societies, are elected.

6- Sports club elections

Members of the boards of directors of Saudi sports federations are chosen by-election, and the elections
include 15 federations: boxing and wrestling federations, gymnastics, karate, foot, volleyball, basketball,
athletics, table tennis, tennis, swimming, weightlifting, bodybuilding, cycling,judo and taekwondo, Fencing.
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 7- Labor committee elections

It is a workers committee representing all workers in the Kingdom, and it was elected by the headsof the
selected workers' committees and representatives of the workers of the private sector establishments in the
Kingdom.

8- The elections for cultural institutions

Saudi intellectuals choose their candidates to manage their cultural institutions (literary clubs, culture, and
art associations) by forming general associations for them in their regions. Throughthese associations,
intellectuals elect boards of directors of the clubs that represent them.

3. Conditions for candidacy for membership in municipal councils

Every voter has the right to run in municipal elections if he fulfills the following conditions:

• To be registered in the voters' registration lists in the electoral district for which he wishes torun.
• His age should not be less than twenty-five Hijri years at the polling date.
• His educational qualification should not be less than high school or its equivalent.
• He should not be convicted of a legal limit or a conviction for a crime involving breach ofhonor or
trust unless he has been rehabilitated.
• He should not be dismissed from public service for disciplinary reasons unless three yearshave passed
since this term.
• He has not been convicted of fraudulent bankruptcy.
• His membership in the Municipal Council should not be revoked during the previous term ofthe
Council.

4. Who is entitled to vote? ‫من يحق له التصويت‬

Voting is a right for every Saudi citizen, male or female. However, some conditions must be met:

• He is eighteen Hijri years old at polling date

• To be fully qualified
• He should not be a military man
To be a resident of the electoral district, choose one electoral district in his place ofresidence.

‫الكلمة‬ ‫معناها‬

elections ‫انتخابات‬
sport ‫رياضة‬
university ‫جامعة‬
types ‫أنواع‬
Conditions ‫رشوط‬

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