KUWAIT: A limitednumber of people turned out at polling stations to vote in the early hoursafter voting started for by-elections in the second and third constituencies.Only senior citizens voted until noontime, said informed sources, noting thatthe process started at 8 am. The sources added that observers from the ArabNetwork for Democratic Elections (ANDE) were present at Al-Maamoun school inKaifan, while Ministry of Interior (MoI) officials toured the polling stationsto check security measures.
National AssemblySpeaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem praised the by-election and described it as a'democratic festival.' In a statement to reporters after casting his vote inthe Second Constituency, Ghanem called on everyone to "cast their votesfor those who see the best candidates to represent them in parliament." Hestressed that the parliamentary task is not easy as it requires a lot of effortto achieve the aspirations of the citizens.
Meanwhile,Minister of Justice Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Dr FahadAl-Afasi said that he found no significant issues during his tour of the ballotstations. He lauded judges and State officials for supervising the pollingprocess that kicked off early today and continued hours later, with votersshowing up at the centers to cast their votes.
Speaking toreporters, former finance minister Mustafa Al-Shamali, who voted in AbdullahAl-Salem School, expressed good wishes to all candidates. Chancellor JamalAl-Meer, who was at Abdullah bin Masoud School, said that only 45 voters hadcast their votes by 9:30 am.
Securitycommander at the main committee in the second constituency Lt Col JarrahAl-Habashi stressed that the polling process was going smoothly and that MoIhad prepared for it days earlier. Head of the main committee in Kaifan's menpolling station Najeeb Al-Mulla said only 28 out of 745 voters had cast theirvotes in the morning period.
ChancellorOwayyed Al-Thowamer said only 18 voters showed up at the women's pollingstation at Boubyan Intermediate School. Chancellor Khaled Al-Mandeel said only22 out of 916 voters had cast their votes in the morning period at Fatima bintAl-Waleed School, while at Qurtuba Secondary School for girls, only 21 out ofthe 852 voters showed up.
Notably, severalcandidates' representatives filed complaints over allowing the entry ofchildren into polling stations to distribute promotional flyers of certaincandidates, to which security forces immediately responded and ordered all thechildren out.
In the meantime,Ministry of Health (MoH) assistant undersecretary for medical services affairsDr Fawwaz Al-Refae said there was constant coordination with the medicalemergencies department's operation room to handle any urgent medical casesduring the elections. Speaking to reporters, Refae said that all hospitals andclinics are on full alert to deal with any urgent cases, in addition to thepresence of 16 temporary clinics, 10 ambulances and 62 paramedics at all votingcenters.
By-election wereheld yesterday to fill seats in the second and third constituencies. The twoseats have been vacant since a court order was issued against MPs Dr WaleedAl-Tabtabaie and Dr Jamaan Al-Herbesh, stripping them both of their membershipin the National Assembly. Up to 47 nominees, including five women, vied tooccupy the two seats. There were 18 candidates, including one female citizen,in the second constituency. In the third, 29 candidates, including fourfemales, competed. Authorities have transformed buildings of 38 schools intoballot stations, while MoH stationed medical teams at the voting centers.
By MeshaalAl-Enezi