Zarqa residents head to polls early

By Hani Hazaimeh

ZARQA - Many voters from Zarqa Governorate, the third largest governorate in the Kingdom, did not wait for SMSs or door-to-door visits to vote on Tuesday.

Since early morning, citizens across the governorate headed to the polling stations to exercise their constitutional right to select the 16th Parliament.

Candidates and their supporters converged in front of polling center amidst police presence. With 300,000 eligible voters, turnout was 36.06 per cent.

As voters exited polling stations, candidate’s aides offered juice, water and coffee.

By lunchtime, candidates' headquarters were packed with supporters anxious for a meal. As many sat down for lunch, some supporters continued to carry out house-to-house visits to encourage people to go the polling centers and vote.

Falha Omoush, a 62-year-old resident, said she woke up early in the morning, prepared breakfast for her family and accompanied her husband and daughters to the polling station in Al Hashemiyeh, a few kilometers east of Zarqa city.

"This is a national duty and I am determined to cast a ballot for the one I have decided to vote for," the mother of seven said, adding that she refused to disclose the name of her candidate of choice to her family.

"He is well educated and very respectful man. I think I have made the right choice. I don’t want anything from him except to defend our interests and the interests of the country," she said.

“He might not be able to effect change, but at least my conscience is at ease and I am happy with my decision," she added.

Although illiterate, Omoush said she whispered the name of her candidate in the ear of the polling center's chairman.

"I made him swear to God to write the name I told him," she said.

Walid Zyoud, Zarqa Third District’s media officer told The Jordan Times midday that the voting process was going “smoothly”, with no complaints from candidates or observers at the district's 38 polling stations.

10 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=31733.