Photos: Kuwaitis head to polls to cast their vote in National Assembly elections

People wait to cast their votes during parliamentary elections at a polling station in Kuwait City. This is the first time that Kuwait has held parliamentary elections since 2016, excluding the 2019 by-elections that took place in only two districts to replace the seat of two MPs that were removed from office.

Kuwaiti men, wearing protective masks and gloves amid the COVID-19 pandemic, wait to cast their votes for the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Kuwait City.

While there are 567,694 eligible voters, voter turnout is expected to be less than the previous general elections, where voter turnout was around 70 per cent. This is due to various reasons, but largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the boycott movement.

Majority of the registered voters in Kuwait are women, accounting for 52 per cent. With that being said, based on the 2019 data from the Ministry of Interior, around 80 per cent of eligible young women (between ages 21-35) are not registered.

After registrations closed on November4, there were 395 candidates, including 33 women. Since then, 54 candidates stepped down, two of whom were women, bringing the total to 342. As per Kuwaiti election law, candidates running for parliament can step down up to seven days before the scheduled election date.

Everybody working inside the polling stations, the campaign polling monitors and the security forces were required to conduct a PCR test as per the health guidelines.

Chairs are spaced for social distancing, in a secondary school used as a makeshift polling station.

Registered citizens are required to head to the designated polling station as per the address on their Civil ID.

A Kuwaiti man walks by a billboard featuring the candidates running for parliamentary elections in Kuwait City.

Kuwaiti women gather at the entrance of a polling station in Jahra City. According to Kuwaiti law, one must be over 21 years of age and a registered voter to participate in the elections.

Female Kuwaiti observers site in a polling station to monitor voting.

Each citizen votes in their designated electoral district (Kuwait is divided into five electoral districts).

Women and men vote at separate polling stations (most schools are re-purposed for polling day as polling stations).

A Kuwaiti Judge checks the nationality card before a woman takes her ballot to vote at a polling station in Jahra City. In order to vote, all eligible voters must carry their jinseya (nationality document).

The elections are jointly managed by the Ministry of Interior, Minister of Justice and the judiciary.