Arab League observers commend efforts to include youths, women

AMMAN — Arab League election observers commended the lowering of the voting age in Jordan, but urged the Kingdom to facilitate voting by expatriates, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Thursday. 

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) President Khaled Kalaldeh invited the Arab League to send observers to the Lower House polls, and the league’s mission visited 342 electoral committees in 133 polling stations across the Kingdom. 

The mission was also present as 12 polling stations opened, and monitored the vote count at 12 centres, Petra reported. 

The head of the delegation, Khalil Thawadi, said the group’s final report on the elections would be sent to Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Aboul Gheit, Petra reported. 

The report will include notes and recommendations, and Aboul Gheit will send a copy to the Jordanian authorities, according to Thawadi. 

In preliminary remarks, Arab League observers noted that most polling stations opened on time, with all committee members present. They also commended the high number of women on electoral committees. 

The number of eligible voters increased from 2,272,182 voters in 2013 to 4,139,612, the observers said, attributing the increase to the automatic registration of voters in this year’s poll. In 2013, voters were required to register before the election. 

Additionally, the 2016 Elections Law lowered the voting age, a “positive step” indicating the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting young people and encouraging youths to exercise their political rights, the Arab League mission said.  

However, Jordanians working outside the Kingdom had no means to cast their ballots, and the mission expressed hope that arrangements would be made in future elections to allow expatriates to participate. 

During the visit, the Arab League mission met with the IEC officials, government bodies concerned with elections and several candidates and civil society representatives.