UAE | Government
Voters pour into RAK poll centres
Voters poured into the polling centre in a steady stream as the Federal National Council (FNC) election got under way here.
- Image Credit: Asghar Khan/Gulf News
- In Ras Al Khaimah, voters poured into the polling centre in a steady stream as the Federal National Council election got under way.
Ras Al Khaimah: Voters poured into the polling centre in a steady stream as the Federal National Council (FNC) election got under way here.
Election officials said about 300-400 voters cast their ballot at the Cultural Centre within the first two hours of the doors opening at 8am. In Ras Al Khaimah, 80 candidates are running for three seats to be decided by 1,061 voters.
Mubarak Ali Al Shamsi, who heads the emirate's Election Committee, said the turnout in the morning was very high and expects it to increase through the day.
Abdullah Al Sagheer was the first to file nomination papers and the first candidate to vote. Dr. Ali Shakar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and a member of the Electoral College, said voters in the emirate know their candidates well and, campaigning therefore, had little influence.
He stressed that he voted for the candidates he thought would best represent Emiratis at the FNC. He said a candidate should be educated and must be able to carry out social and political responsibilities.
Badriya Al Sa'adi, a woman voter, she did not cast her vote along gender lines. However, she said when Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi won in Abu Dhabi, women in Ras Al Khaimah were happy, hoping more women would be voted to the FNC. She said there is “no room for tribal loyalties'' in the election. Candidates who can represent all Emiratis will be voted to the council.
Najeeb Al Shamsi, a candidate, said Ras Al Khaimah has benefited from the experiment in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah regarding voter turnout and choice of candidates.
Related Links
- Dubai votes in FNC polls
- Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah vote in FNC polls today
- E-voting with the aid of technology
- Huge response to landmark elections
- What is the Federal National Council?
- 'I did not vote for candidates from my own tribe, but for the best'
- 'Political modernisation under way'
- Woman wins seat in first UAE poll
- Timetable: FNC polls
More from UAE Government
More from UAE
Latest news
- New road widens JLT access
- Filipino students, groups attend cultural meet
- For this maestro, it's all about the sound
- Experts can't tell old instruments from new
- Sound of violins
- Facilitators: Helping others find joy
- Volunteers remove garbage from Mamzar beach
- Clean-up campaign set to raise awareness
- Sharjah landmarks bathed in light
- Shaikh Mohammad meets South Korea leader
- New rules for Abu Dhabi buildings
- Four poised to chase their dreams in Dubai
- In the pursuit of happiness
- Get friends on board, zip away with Salik bonus
- Dubai hospitals debut life-saving procedure
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules






