Elections in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represent a regulatory practice within civil institutions that the Kingdom experienced even before its unification by the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud nearly a century ago. This began with citizens participating in the elections of the national Shura Council in Makkah al-Mukarramah.
There are various types of elections in the Kingdom, including municipal council elections, elections for chambers of commerce and industry, and elections for bodies such as the Saudi Council of Engineers and the Saudi Journalists Association, among others. The development of elections in the Kingdom has gone through several stages, including:
1924
Establishment of the first elected council, known as the National Shura Council, which included twelve members.
1925
Formation of an elected council representing all twelve districts of Makkah al-Mukarramah, including two scholars and one prominent local merchant as members.
1976
Issuance of the Law of Municipalities and Rural Areas, with Article Fourteen specifying that the executive regulations would define the method of electing municipal council members, voter requirements, and election and appeal procedures.
2004
Issuance of regulations for electing municipal council members.
2005
First municipal council elections, encompassing 179 councils.
2008
Issuance of the Law of Cooperative Associations, with Article Twenty-Four outlining the election of board members and alternate members.
2011
Second municipal council elections, increasing the number of councils from 179 to 285.
2014
Issuance of the Law of Municipal Councils, detailing the council’s powers and authority, formation, member elections, electoral appeals, council membership rules, sessions and decisions, rights and obligations, electoral violations, member violations, and council dissolution.
2015
Third municipal council elections, marked the first time women were allowed to vote and run as candidates.
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