Voting proceeds smoothly as Bahrainis exercise their most fundamental civic duty

By Fatima Al Najem Manama, Nov. 12 (BNA): Bahrainis stood patiently in a long queue waiting for the polling station to open, eager to exercise their most fundamental civic duty — going to the polls and voting. On the quadrennial Voting Day, and at exactly 8 a.m. as per the schedule, the officials opened the door and the queue started to inch inside the station at the Seef Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the capital Manama. It was a general polling station and people came from towns and smaller communities to cast their ballots and choose their candidates for the 40-member Council of Representatives, one of the two chambers of the bicameral parliament. Inside, the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful with the officials making sure that everything was in order and that the voters followed the rules in the election process. Although their faces were serious, there was a joyful sense of elation among the voters, obviously proud to enjoy the right to vote freely and to choose whomever they liked. The Seef Mall is one of the 55 voting centers set up for the parliamentary and municipal elections in 2022. Bahrainis living abroad or visiting foreign countries had an advance polling on Tuesday in any of the 37 voting centers set up in diplomatic missions across the world. Whatever the outcome, the new Council of Representatives will have a new look and a new Speaker since Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal who held the leading position in the last four years will not be running this time. Bahrain has now held parliamentary and municipal elections since 2002. Bahrainis elected their representatives in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. On every occasion, the process went smoothly and the organizers won praise for their skilled handling of the elections despite challenges.