THE 2007 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN JORDAN: An Exit Poll Conducted in Six Electoral Districts, Located In Six Municipalities  

Municipal elections were held in Jordan on July 31, 2007, the first elections since 1999 in which mayors and municipal council members were directly elected (with the exception of the capital Amman which will continue to have an appointed mayor and half appointed municipal council.)

2,720 candidates competed for a total of 965 seats in 93 municipal councils including mayors and municipal councilors. Female candidates were guaranteed a minimum of 220 of those seats under a 20% quota for women. (Figures according to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.)

In addition, approximately 150,000 youth became eligible voters under the 2007 amended law which reduced the voting age from 19 to 18. Candidate registration took place on July 22-24. The official campaign period lasted six days from July 25 -30.

In the early afternoon on Election Day, the opposition Islamic Action Front (IAF) withdrew all 33 of its municipal candidates from the elections in response to what the party described as rigging by the government. The IAF accused the Jordanian authorities of using army personnel for duplicate voting in favor of pro-government candidates with buses carrying plain-clothed soldiers from polling station to polling station. (Military voting was allowed for the first time during these municipal elections.)

According to official statistics, the total turnout nationwide was 56.0%. This is the first exit poll in Jordan’s history and the fourth in a series of surveys conducted by the Jordan Center for Social Research (JCSR) and its partners that focuses on local governance in the Kingdom.

The exit poll was conducted in six electoral districts in six municipalities located throughout the country varying in size and composition of population: Hasa in Tafileh Governorate; Karak (Main City district); Madaba (Main City district); Oyoun in Ajloun Governorate; Irbid (Barha district) and Rusaifeh in Zarqa Governorate (Rashid district.) [See Appendix I for map and description of electoral districts.] The exit poll was conducted during polling hours in a total of 37 polling stations in the six electoral districts. Polls were open on Election Day from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. The computation of results was carried out in four runs at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm and the close of the polling stations.

With this poll, JCSR and its partners hope to shed light on voting patterns, voter behavior and electoral culture in Jordan’s 2007 municipal elections for the benefit of decision makers, elected officials and the general public.