FNC polling station locations announced

Abu Dhabi: Eligible voters in the upcoming Federal National Council elections will have their pick of 39 polling stations, nine of which are for people voting ahead of October 5.

In addition, 118 stations will be in place for overseas voters, the National Elections Committee said on Monday.

Set up in UAE diplomatic missions, including embassies and consulates, the locations will be announced on the NEC’s website, www.uaenec.ae and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, www.mofa.gov.ae

Tariq Lootah, undersecretary of the Ministry of State for FNC Affairs, and head of the Elections Management Committee, said the criteria for inclusion ranged from geographical distribution, availability of service and compliance by stations to set designs and criteria approved by the committee responsible for preparing them.

Lootah confirmed that the polling stations were distributed within a specific plan to ensure that all members of the electoral bodies have access to and can vote for their candidates. “The polling stations are equipped to accommodate large numbers commensurate with the number of electoral bodies,” he said.

Lootah stressed the importance of the active participation of citizens in the electoral process by casting their votes in the nearest electoral centers, in order to enhance political participation, and to transfer competencies to the membership of the FNC, and improve parliamentary work in the UAE and enhance the role of the citizens in the decision-making process and the drafting of quality legislation so that sustainability of inclusive development is achieved in various fields.

Timetable

According to the timetable for the FNC elections 2019, overseas voting will be on September 22 and 23, (from 10 am to 6 pm local time).

Members of electoral bodies located outside the country can vote for their representatives in electoral centres established at embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions of the UAE.

The overseas voting will be followed by the early voting period, which allows voters who are present in the country but wish to cast their ballots early from October 1 to 3, in nine polling stations in all emirates from 10 am to 6 pm.

Nine polling stations for early voting (10am to 6pm):

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), Abu Dhabi

Al Ain Convention Centre in Al Khabaisi, Al Ain

Madinat Zayed Wedding Hall, Al Dhafra

Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai

Sharjah Chess Club, Sharjah

University of Ajman, Ajman

Expo Centre, Ras Al Khaimah

Etihad Hall, Umm Al Quwain

Fujairah Exhibition Centre, Fujairah

39 voting centres on election day (8am to 8pm)

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre’s Al Wathba Council, Mubarak Bin Mohammed School, Yas Mall and Zayed University in Shakhbout City

Al Dhafra: Madinat Zayed wedding halls, Ghayathi, Al Silaa and Dalma Island Council

Al Ain: Al Ain Convention Centre/Al Khabaisi, Al Wagan Wedding Venues, Al Dhaher, Al Hayer and Shaikha Bint Sorour School in Al Yahar

Dubai: Dubai World Trade Centre, Culture and Science Symposium in Al Mamzar, Sports Hall at the UAE Football Federation in Dubai, Sunset Mall, Emirates Identity Building in Al Barsha and Hatta Wedding Hall

Sharjah: Sharjah Chess Club on Al Dhaid Road, near the American University; two councils of Mughaidir suburb, Khalidiya suburb, Maliha Cultural Club, Expo Centre in Khorfakkan and Sharjah University campuses in Kalba and Al Dhaid

Ajman: Ajman University Building and Sanad Centre in Masfoot

Umm Al Quwain: Al Ittihad Hall and Technical Secondary School in Falaj Al Mualla.

Ras Al Khaimah: Expo Centre, Federal Identity and Citizenship Centre behind RAK Police Department, Federal Centre for Identity and Citizenship in Al Rams, Technical Colleges (Women) and Al Ghail Youth Centre

Fujairah: Fairground, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development Centre in Masafi and Dibba Exhibition Centre in Dibba