A RECORD number of candidates, seeking to make their voices heard, have filed nomination papers for the National Elections to be held on November 12.
A total of 58 hopefuls submitted their documents at the four supervisory centres on the third day of nominations yesterday.
This includes 41 aspirants for Parliament and 17 for municipal council.
This takes the total number of citizens in the race to 460 at the end of the third day – compared with 367 on the third day and 417 on the fourth day of nominations in the 2018 polls.
A total of 493 citizens had submitted their candidacies in 2014.
This reveals that more Bahrainis are taking part in the democratic process this year to represent the voice of citizens in their respective constituencies.
Candidates can file their nominations until tomorrow and more citizens are expected to apply.
A female Parliament candidate and a male aspirant for municipal polls took the Arabic language test at the supervisory centre in Muharraq last night, while applications of two hopefuls in the area were rejected as one was not registered in the official list and the other was previously charged with a felony.
Two applications in the Southern Governorate and 11 in Northern Governorate (Parliament and municipal) were rejected.
Meanwhile, in the Capital Governorate, six candidates were turned back.
“Those who have received acceptance messages cannot launch their promotional campaigns yet,” said an official at the supervisory centre in the Capital Governorate last night. “Their acceptances are pending objections,” he added.
Those who want to appeal the decisions can do so between Monday and Wednesday.
A total of 344,713 voters are eligible to cast their ballots for the Parliament and municipal elections on November 12, and a run-off on November 19.
The theme of this year’s poll is: “We vote for Bahrain”.
There are 40 constituencies or electoral districts – 12 in the Northern Governorate, 10 each in the Capital and Southern and eight in Muharraq.
Forty individuals will be voted into Parliament while 30 members will be elected to the three municipal councils; the Capital Trustees Board is nominated by His Majesty King Hamad.
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