On Thursday, Kuwait opened its first polling stations since Sheikh Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah took office in late 2023. According to the official news agency, the elections, which are the fourth to be held since December 2020, are set to end at midnight local time.
The people will choose representatives from five electoral seats for the 18th legislative term of the National Assembly. 200 candidates are running for 50 seats in the parliament this year since political parties are banned in Kuwait. All of these candidates are running as individuals.
There are 834,733 voters eligible to vote and there is variation in the number of voters in each constituency. The first constituency has 41 candidates and 104,038 voters; the second has 39 candidates and 95,302 voters; the third has 32 candidates and 143,693 voters; the fourth has 48 candidates and 220,932 voters; and the fifth has 40 candidates and 270,768 eligible voters.
To make the voting process easier, 123 vote boxes have been placed at specific schools around Kuwait. Kuwait is at a turning point in its political history as a result of its residents using their democratic rights to vote and determine the future trajectory of their country.
