(MENAFN- Arab News) JEDDAH: The General Committee for the Municipal Elections has issued new regulations to oversee the polls which will be taking place on Dec. 12 2015.
The rules released on Monday spelled out requirements for council members list of violations and appeals how candidates should conduct their campaigns and other details on the voting process a local publication reported.
The first set of rules consisting of 56 articles in seven chapters outline how councils would be elected the formation of general and local electoral committees number of members and their tasks.
The third chapter contains the arrangements for the elections and the time schedule; the fourth chapter outlines voter registration mandatory presentation of national identification cards and electoral district documents.
The fifth chapter provides information for candidate registration and those excluded from participating which includes contractors and investors in municipal projects. The sixth chapter addresses balloting procedures and the counting process.
The second set of rules consists of 34 articles which include stipulations on violations and electoral appeals for candidates and voters during the registration or nomination process campaigns voting and counting right up to the announcement of the results.
Article seven specifies the powers of the dispute resolution committee and the decisions that may be issued such as excluding voters from registering exclusion of candidates and financial penalties for voters or candidates who violate the regulations.
The third set of rules has 35 articles related to the limits on election campaigns means of advertising and media statements and obtaining licenses to hold meetings lectures and seminars.
Arab News reported last month that the government has set up 1263 polling centers in 284 municipalities across the Kingdom for the elections. It has also set up 250 centers for emergencies if the others are inundated with voters. Each station has a capacity to handle 3000 people.
The country's third municipal elections will see 511 new centers set up a 68 percent increase from the previous polls when there were 752. Of the new centers 424 are for women.
The municipal elections will be held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Dec. 12 with the results announced the following day. Voters to be can register between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. from Aug. 22 to Sept. 14. Candidates can do so from Aug. 30 to Sept. 17.
Preliminary lists of candidates will be published on Sept. 30 while the last date for withdrawal is Nov. 19 when the final list of candidates will be announced.