Candidacy turnover exceeds 5,500 in two days

AMMAN — The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Tuesday, the second day of applying to run for municipal and governorate councils, processed 1,566 candidacy applications. 

Candidacy committees across the Kingdom received 229 applications for governorate council membership, 203 of which were filed by men and 26 by women, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

A total of 109 applications were filed for mayorship, including six by women. 

The number of candidates for the membership of municipal and local councils (elected as sub-councils to run the municipal affairs of districts within the same municipality) reached 1,228, including 926 men and 302 women. 

The total number of applications for the first two days of the three-day candidacy period to run for local and governorate councils reached 5,521.

The number of constituencies in the Kingdom, under the 2017 amendments to the by-law of electoral districts of governorate councils, is 158, which will see the election of 12 governorate councils. 

Eighty-five per cent of the council seats will be elected and 15 per cent appointed by the Cabinet, under the by-law governing the process.

The 158 districts involve 304 seats that are distributed as following: Amman is divided into 32 districts with 53 seats; Irbid (30-41); Balqa (12-23); Karak (10-24); Maan (9-16); Zarqa (13-30); Mafraq (8-35); Tafileh (7-15); Madaba (7-16); Ajloun (7-19); Jerash (7-17); and Aqaba (7-15).

Under the Municipal Elections Law, each eligible voter will vote on two separate ballots: one for the mayor and another for one local council member.

There are 100 municipalities excluding the Greater Amman Municipality, and in each a 25 per cent quota is also set for women who do not make it through direct election.