Polls opened at 7 am in South Lebanon and Nabatieh governorates for Lebanon’s third round of municipal and mokhtar elections, as many towns and cities are to witness electoral races.
At 03:30 pm the voter turnout reached 36%. As it reached 33% in Sidon, 44% in Sidon’s villages, 45% in Jezzine, 30% in Tyre,37% in Marjouyoun, 28% on Bint Jbeil, 38% in Hasbaya and 33% in Nabatieh
Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouq stated that three small security incidents occurred so far, pointing out that the municipal elections in Kfarsir were adjourned due to the high number of candidacy withdrawals, leaving only six candidates.
“The constitutional quorum will be reached when a president is elected in the absence of any guarantee that the new parliamentary council will not face any of the obstacles the current council is going through,” he added.
Current Mayor to Sidon’s municipality and candidate Mohamed Al-Masoud said Sunday that the electoral process is running smoothly so far, hoping to be congratulated by the end of the day.
In Abra polling stations opened half an hour late, as the commissaries did not make it on time.
The town of Shebaa will witness a high voter turnout as a large percentage of its expatriate have registered to cast their ballots.
From Ainata MP Hassan Fadlallah stated that “it’s a competition between local friends and families in the Lebanon’s south”, stressing that Hezbollah is not taking part in the elections to face of its opponents.
“Whoever wants to give it a shot should do so,” he said.
Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said after casting his vote at al-Khyam's polling station “that the atmosphere of the elections is pretty normal, as its being conducted in a free and democratic manner.
“This practice shows that the southerners’ will -families of al-Khyam in particular- in freely practicing their democratic right and choosing the municipality that represents their needs best,” he added.