Candidacy Window for 2024 Lower House Elections Opens Tuesday

Amman: The window for candidacies in Jordan's 2024 Lower House of Parliament elections opens Tuesday, July 30, initiating the electoral process for the September 10 vote. Prospective candidates have until Thursday to submit their nomination papers for both general and local constituencies. The Independent Election Commission (IEC) will evaluate these submissions, with decisions on acceptance or rejection expected by August 8. Initial candidate lists and notifications of rejected applications will be announced on August 9 and 10. Campaigning will kick off on August 9 and continue until September 8, just before the electoral silence on September 9. This period includes critical procedural steps such as submitting and addressing challenges to candidates and voters, court rulings on these challenges, and final decisions. Candidates wishing to withdraw must do so by August 26. The IEC will finalize the candidate lists on August 27, with publication following the next day. The election will engage over 5.1 mill ion registered voters, with women comprising 52.5 percent and men 47.4 percent. Notably, 590,794 first-time voters represent 11.54 percent of the electorate. Youth participation is a highlight of this election, with voters under 25 making up 21.89 percent and those under 35 accounting for 45.4 percent of the electorate. The 2022 Election Law has also increased the number of seats reserved for women from 15 to 18, emphasizing a push for greater female representation. For the general district, which has 41 seats, the law mandates at least one woman among the first three candidates and one among the next three. Candidate lists must cover at least half of the local districts, ensuring a minimum of nine candidates. Political parties are already gearing up, with several announcing their candidate lists on social media, setting the stage for a dynamic and competitive election season. Source: Jordan News Agency