Jerash mayoral elections to be held Saturday

AMMAN — The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced that mayoral elections will be held in Jerash on Saturday to fill the vacant seat following the passing of the city’s mayor.

Four candidates are competing for the post in Bab Amman town (fifth district), according to an official at the IEC.

“Some 9,205 people are eligible to cast their ballots in three election posts, which includes 26 ballot boxes,” the official told The Jordan Times.

Local elections were held in March 2022, with 4,602,135 people, including 2,437,340 women, eligible to vote.

A total of 1,363,465 citizens cast their ballots, with 15.56 per cent of men, and 14.08 per cent of women participating in the election, according to the IEC.

Final official numbers show 4,644 individuals registered to run for the election, including 846 women.

Per a Cabinet decision, governorate and municipal council elections will be held in November. 

The Cabinet also approved the Amman Municipal Council Election Law and electoral appeals for 2021. 

Shortly before the elections were held, His Majesty King Abdullah stressed the need to encourage participation in elections, especially among women and youth, pointing to the IEC’s role in political modernisation, as the recent constitutional amendments moved the political parties’ portfolio from the government to the IEC.

Calling for zero tolerance towards any violations that affect the integrity and transparency of elections, King Abdullah urged that cooperation among all the concerned state entities be maintained to ensure a smooth electoral process.