(MENAFN- Jordan Times) The enthusiasm for local elections is encouraging; close to 4,000 candidates have registered already for these elections, due to be held on August 15, updated information by the Independent Election Commission shows.
The commission gives a breakdown of candidates to governorate council membership, municipal and local councils and mayorships, and figures show that a bit over 500 of them are women.
The high registration numbers show that public interest and involvement in local elections is equally high, as it should be.
Locally elected citizens are close to their communities, are familiar with the issues that affect their lives and much is expected from them to address them.
Women, who seek empowerment, are perhaps even better placed to deal with problems that concern their families and neighbourhoods, as they are often closer to the pulse of the street and forced to be more practical in solving them.
The high number of people who registered for local elections even in the midst of a heat spell, shows that these elections are taken seriously.
Now people will have to choose wisely, with the interest of their entire community at heart.
While they might be convinced that an immediate relation could benefit them, they should know that only fairness and the enjoyment of welfare by all will ensure that things run smoothly.
There are, no doubt, many issues that the elected council members will have to tackle, so the voters' concern should be with their qualification and acumen in dealing with problems, not with the degree of relationship.
The date for election may not have been the best idea — temperatures will be still high and some people might be away — but the process will be a good experiment and provide some yardstick for future such elections.
The campaign has started, with the annoying posters and banners accompanying it, but the election commission is monitoring closely the process and hopefully few violations will be recorded.
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