Kuwaiti voters head to polls to elect national assembly members

Over 400,000 Kuwaiti voters headed to the polls early Saturday in the country’s five constituencies to choose 50 National Assembly (parliament) members in the one-day elections, the second in 10 months. The polls opened at 0800 local time (0500 GMT) and are due to close at 2000 (1700 GMT). Voters are eligible to vote for one candidate according to amendments to the electoral law by Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in October. In previous elections, voters were able to cast ballot for four candidates. The 10 candidates in each constituency with the most votes become MPs. Some 307 candidates, including 14 women, are vying for the house’s 50 seats in Saturday’s elections. According to the official figures, the number of eligible voters in the upcoming elections total 422,569, of whom 196,754 or 46.56 percent are males, while female voters account for 225,815 or 53.43 percent, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported. The Higher Electoral Commission estimated the number of polling stations across the nation at 666, distributed over 100 main polling centers. The 50-seat house is elected every four years. Cabinet ministers (including the prime minister) are granted automatic membership in the Assembly, bringing the number of members in the assembly to 66. Ministers have the same rights as the elected MPs, with the following two exceptions: They do not participate in the work of committees, and they cannot vote when a grilling leads to a no-confidence vote against one of the Cabinet members.