Jordan sees 45% turnout, 2 hours before polls close

EU election observers have celebrated the 'smooth' voting process Amman – Osama Al Rantissi Two hours before polls close in the Jordanian parliamentary elections and over a million Jordanians have turned out to vote, pushing up the nationwide turnout to 44.5 percent.Independent Electoral Commission [IEC] spokesperson, Hussein Bani Hani, claimed that large groups were still waiting to take part in areas across the kingdom, including Ajloun, Jarash, Karak and Balqa.
The IEC’s commissioning board had the authority to extend voting hours, Hani added.
David Martin, chief observer at the European Union Election Observing Mission [EU EOM] to Jordan said the 80-person mission had started touring polling stations from 0630 hrs, adding that turnout had been low throughout the morning’s voting.
Martin lauded the IEC for ensuring elections went “smoothly” and in accordance with international standards. No major irregularities had taken place, he added.
The EU observer pointed out some "technical glitches" and other minor infractions, such as problems with electronic linking in some polling stations as well as some candidates illegally publicising their campaigns outside polling stations.
Jordanian Islamists have meanwhile released a statement which casts doubt on turnout figures, claiming “very low” participation levels at the country’s polls.The statement listed observations sent from Islamist “monitoring centres,” which alleged low turnout figures, falsification of official statistics, “mass infractions” in most polling centres and forged ballot forms.