ADCCI to hold run-off vote in two weeks

Abu Dhabi: Fewer than 12,000 members of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) voted in the organisation's board elections on Monday, pushing the vote to a run-off round on December 21st.

Ahmed Al Zaabi, head of the ADCCI's Election Supervisory Committee, declined to disclose the exact number of votes recorded, but said, it was less than two-thids of the approximately 18,000 votes needed to qualify the election, or 25 per cent of the emirate's registered businesses.

The minimum number of votes were not met despite the committee's decision to extend the voting by two hours by 10pm.

"It's irrelevant how many votes each candidate received today," said Al Zaabi. "In two weeks the entire process will be repeated."

Three polling stations will open once again in two weeks in Abu Dhabi when the top 13 emiratis and two expatriate candidates will win four-year term on the ADCCI board of directors, regardless of whether the 25 per cent threshold is met.

At the Abu Dhabi convention centre, the largest voting station, voter turnout made up the primary concern for candidates throughout the day as it remained light but steady.

Queues rarely formed outside the two morning hours before midday and the last 90 minutes before 8pm.

"Elections are new here that's why you see low turnout," said one voting representative from a health care company who declined to be identified. "Most people here are voting for someone they know, or someone they hope they can benefit from, once he's elected."

In all, 67 UAE nationals and 12 expatriates were vying for 15 of the 21 board seats. Six members are appointed by the government.