AROUND 11 per cent of the total votes cast in the first round of voting in Bahrain’s general elections this year has been deemed invalid, data on vote.bh reveal.
Details posted on the elections website give a constituency-wise breakdown of the total ballots polled in the parliamentary and municipal council elections held across the kingdom last Saturday.
The highest number of invalid votes was registered in Northern Governorate Constituency 12 – 925 for Parliament and 874 for municipal councils.
Consequently, there was no outright winner in the constituency which covers Demistan, Malkiya, Karzakan and Al Louzy Housing, and will witness a second round of voting this coming Saturday.
Bahrain’s election rules stipulate that a vote may be considered void if a mark is made against more than one candidate.
Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission head and 2022 elections executive director Nawaf Hamza said yesterday that 252,256 Bahrainis cast their ballots in the first round of voting.
This means that 27,966 votes were invalid – Northern Governorate (12,641), Muharraq Governorate (6,384), Southern Governorate (5,912) and Capital Governorate (3,029).
A total of 344,713 voters were eligible to elect 40 members of Parliament and 30 municipal councillors for the four governorates; the Capital Trustees Board is appointed by His Majesty King Hamad.
Meanwhile, Mr Hamza added that the voter turnout was 73.18 per cent this time round – the highest since the quadrennial elections were launched in 2002.
“The turnout among females was 48pc, an indication of the high level of political engagement of Bahraini women and their prominent role in consolidating democracy.”
He also added that the turnout of young voters was 45.37pc, reflecting “the vitality of political and democratic life in Bahrain, and the interest of young citizens in actively participating in the national process of electing MPs and municipal councillors”.
Meanwhile, the second round of voting (only for parliament) in Bahrain missions and consulates will take place today.
Results of the overseas voting will be added to the results of the run-offs in 34 electoral districts for Parliament and 23 constituencies for municipal councils.
A candidate must secure at least 50 per cent of the vote to be declared the outright winner. When that doesn’t happen the top two candidates go head to head in a second round run-off.
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