Emiratis turn out to cast their votes for FNC elections

Voters at the Sharjah polling station cast their votes for the FNC election. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Thousands of voters are turning out to polling stations across the country to select members for the next Federal National Council.

Voting in 2015 FNC election began at 8am at 36 centres across the emirates from where 224,000 citizens will elect 20 people from 329 candidates. The other 20 members will be appointed by the Rulers of the emirates.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister, this morning visited the election centre at Dubai Trade Centre.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, visited voters, candidates and volunteers at Adnec in Abu Dhabi. After casting his vote, Sheikh Nahyan said: “The parliamentary experience is progressing from good to better.”

He said the UAE was witnessing “remarkable development” and simultaneously moving towards enhancement of the parliamentary work. The UAE was witnessing remarkable development and at the same time moving ahead steadily towards enhancement of the parliamentary work, he added.

› Follow our live coverage of the 2015 FNC elections here.

In Ras Al Khaimah, candidate Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi died of a suspected heart attack this morning. A rival candidate pulled out following news of the death.

And Two Fujairah voters have had their ballots rejected. Brig Mohammed Al Kaabi, chairman of Fujairah Elections Committee, said they couldn’t complete their voting process because their names weren’t listed in the official voters list.

Across the country, voting began slowly but numbers picked up as the day progressed.

In Abu Dhabi, voter Abdulhamid Sultan Al Hammadi, from the Armed Forces, said he wanted to celebrate in the UAE’s election to fulfill his “need in being an active member in society”.

“The Government gave individual locals the right to elect their own representative and empower our political interaction,” he said.

“I voted for someone who is not very different from his peers, who affirmed the need to service those [affected by] issues such as Emiritisation, pensioners and the disabled,” he said.

Brothers Ahmed and Mohammed Al Suwaidi, also in Abu Dhabi, said they voted for women, as they are “known to be hard workers”.

Ahmed said he had faith in women and he was sure they will benefit the council.

“They are excellent in their jobs and I hope Allah will bless them with the ability to serve the council,” he said.

Hamel Al Qubaisi, who also voted for a female candidate, said he wished to use his right to vote to benefit someone who deserved to serve the country, “and that is the least an Emirati can do”.

“Her campaign was excellent and I had heard she is doing a great job in her current job and these make good characteristics of a candidate,” he said.

In Dubai, Hamdan Khalaf, 44, arrived to vote with his seven-year-old son, Saeed.

“It’s a momentous day for the UAE. I wanted my son to remember it” he said.

“We were also very lucky to witness His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid cast his vote too. It made it all the more special,” said Mr Khalaf.

In Sharjah, Tariq Khalfan Al Findi said he chose a candidate based on his election manifesto.

“I did not pick the candidate on the basis of tribe or friendship,” said the 40-year-old. “Education, health, and housing are important topics for me.

“The candidate I chose had good plans on them in his agenda,“ said Mr Al Findi, who works for Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.

Mohammed Al Shamsi, 44, an military officer from Al Hamriya in Sharjah, said: “The democratic process in the UAE is smooth and has a freedom in elections which are far from bias and politics.”

Alia Al Yamahi, a 26-year-old engineer from Fujairah, said: “ It is part of our national duty to participate today in this event and take part in the process of choosing the right person that will represent us all.

“The process was very smooth and didn’t take more than two minutes. I look forward to hearing the results and I hope it will be satisfying,” said Ms Al Yamahi

Voting will continue until 8pm after which the preliminary results will be announced. Three days of appeals will then take place, with the National Election Committee responding to each appeal on October 7 and 8.

On October 11, the NEC will approve the final list of successful candidates.