Shura Council Elections: Voting tomorrow, all you need to know

Muscat: Omani citizens inside the Sultanate of Oman will cast their votes tomorrow, Sunday, to elect their representatives for the membership of the Shura Council for the 1oth term via the “Intikhab” application from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm.

The total number of voters registered according to the final lists of voters to elect members of the Shura Council for the tenth term, through the “Intikhab” application and the elections website (elections.om), is (753,690) male and female voters, of whom 13,843 voters cast their votes outside the Sultanate of Oman.

The electoral process for the 10th term – through the second version of the “Intikhab” application, which has been introduced with new improvements and updates, such as the audio reading feature for people with visual disabilities (the blind) and the sign language feature optionally available for people with disabilities who are deaf and dumb – is considered a tangible qualitative shift in the election process in the Sultanate of Oman.

The application is characterized by an easy and simple user interface and a high level of security using the latest technologies in the field of encryption. The voter’s data is verified in three basic steps, which are photographing the original ID card from both sides, then reading the personal card data via the NFC feature and taking a personal photo of the voter.

The “application” allows the voter to publish his propaganda in accordance with the electoral propaganda regulations, which enables him to view the list of candidates, follow what they publish, and interact with them from the electoral headquarters itself.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed its full readiness in the various aspects of the electoral process, administrative, technical, legal and media, to elect members of the Shura Council for the tenth term by developing plans and work mechanisms in coordination and integration with various relevant authorities to complete the electoral process.

Through its awareness message to citizens, the Ministry called for the importance of participating in the electoral process after simplifying the procedures, as it provided more than 12 electronic electoral services, including the dialogue arena and many electoral services such as the preliminary and final lists of candidates, the preliminary and final lists of voters, verifying registration in the electoral register, and following up. Automated counting indicators on voting day. The application also provides numerical statistics showing the percentage of voting in each state, the age and gender groups of voters, and provides the service of submitting suggestions and reports to application users.

The Ministry of Interior stated that data and information will be available in full transparency by broadcasting indicators and statistics live during voting day, stressing that the electoral process for the tenth term is characterized by the accuracy, transparency of data and the speed of its flow, especially after all electoral services were introduced to digital transformation.

The Ministry of Interior has been keen to “digitize” all services and programs electronically, as part of its plans towards digital transformation, and to benefit from advanced technologies by introducing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, which will reflect positively on the service provided to citizens, and in a way that will make it easier for candidates and voters alike.

The electoral process to elect members of the Shura Council for the 10th term is witnessing a clear movement by candidates and voters, which reflects society’s interest and maturity in choosing their representatives in the upcoming new term of the Shura Council.

It is noteworthy that the 10th term of the Shura Council, which includes 843 candidates, including 32 women, according to the final lists of candidates, will be different in its composition and giving in line with the requirements of the future plans, visions and directions of the Sultanate of Oman.

The tenth term of the Shura Council is important at the national level, as it will witness further activation and translation of the goals of “Oman Vision 2040” at various economic, investment and development levels and fields, as well as the goals of the tenth five-year plan and the charting of the paths of the eleventh five-year plan.

In the states of Muscat Governorate, the number of voters registered in the electoral register is 97,918 male and female voters, including 51,208 male voters and 46,710 female voters. 93 male and female candidates are competing for membership in the Shura Council in the states of Muscat Governorate for the tenth term, including 12 female candidates.

The number of male and female voters in the electoral register in the Wilayat of Muscat is (10,257) male and female voters, including 5,025 male and 5,232 female voters, and in the Wilayat of Muttrah, the number of voters reached (14,035).

As for the Wilayat of Seeb, it registered (30,837) male and female voters, and in the Wilayat of Bawshar, the number of male and female voters reached (13,023), and in the Wilayat of Al Amerat (12,049) male and female voters, while the Wilayat of Quriyat registered (17,717) male and female voters.