ABU DHABI // People from the emirates with the smallest electoral colleges seemed to show the most interest in registering to stand as FNC candidates.
Ajman, which has the second smallest pool of voters in the UAE (3,920), had the highest candidate registration rate in the country at 0.87 per cent. Ten candidates registered on Sunday, eight on Monday, five on Tuesday and 11 on Wednesday for a total of 34.
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The emirate of Sharjah, with 13,937 voters, had the second highest rate of registration, at 0.70 per cent. Twenty nine voters stepped forward on Sunday, 19 on Monday, 20 on Tuesday and 29 on Wednesday for a total of 97 candidates.
In Umm Al Qaiwain - the emirate with the smallest number of voters (3,285) - 0.58 per cent of voters signed up as candidates. Seven signed up on Sunday, three on Monday, seven on Tuesday and two on Wednesday for a total of 19.
Fujairah and Dubai tied with rates of 0.33 per cent.
Fujairah has an electoral college of 6,323 voters. Four candidates registered on Sunday, two on Monday, six on Tuesday, and nine on Wednesday for a total of 21 candidates. In contrast, Dubai has an electoral college of 37,514 - the second largest of the emirates. Thirty six candidates signed up on Sunday, 23 on Monday, 30 on Tuesday and 36 on Wednesday, for a total of 125.
With 16,850 voters, Ras Al Khaimah has the third largest electoral college. Of these voters, 16 registered as candidates on Sunday, nine on Monday, 16 on Tuesday and 19 on Wednesday for a total of 60.
RAK showed marginally more political interest than Dubai and Fujairah with a candidate registration rate of 0.36 per cent.
In Abu Dhabi - the emirate with the largest voting pool (47,444) - 27 registered on Sunday, 25 on Monday, 20 on Tuesday and 49 on Wednesday. Those 121 candidates represented 0.26 per cent of those eligible to stand.
