RIYADH: The final day of voter registration for the 2011 municipal council elections saw the electorate reach a total of approximately 1.3 million, with some 40 percent being new voters, according to elections spokesman Judai' Al-Qahtani. Al-Hayat Arabic daily reported that Al-Qahtani, who is also head of Municipality Council Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality and Rural Affairs, described the registration turnout as “very good”. “It shows that calls from some quarters to stay away from the polls have had no effect,” he said. “The high turnout shows that the public wishes to be involved in decision-making.” The remaining 60 percent of the electorate, he said, consisted of names already registered from the previous elections in 2005 and who were not required to reregister to vote in the September poll later this year. Approximately 790,000 persons were registered to vote in the previous elections, Al-Qahtani said. “The public wants to get involved in the election process and in choosing the most competent candidates who are able to provide the best services. The work of the municipal councils will see improvements both in quantity and quality.” By the final day Thursday, Riyadh alone had registered the names of 213,331 voters after the final two days saw a noticeable rise in the turnout at registration stations. The centers finally closed at 2 P.M. after 27 days since they were first opened.
