Based on the responsibilities of the National Society for Human Rights and its support for the community participation in decision-making, it has monitored the third municipal elections all over the Kingdom through its headquarter in Riyadh and its branches. The number of polling stations have reached (1263) one thousand and two hundred and sixty-three center distributed on (284) two hundred and eighty-four secretariat and municipality so as to ensure the fairness and transparency of the electoral process and to ensure that it was hold in accordance to the generally accepted standards. For more illustration, based on this, the Society has monitored all the procedures leading up to polling and counting day  that was on 01/03/1437 AH corresponding to 12/12/2015 AD, in order to ensure the safety of the procedures, both at the stage of registration of voters, who numbered (1.486.477) million and four hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred seventy seven voters, including (1.355.840) million and three hundred and fifty-five thousand eight hundred and forty (men) and (130.637) and one hundred and thirty thousand six hundred and thirty-seven (women) as well as at the stage of registration of the candidates who numbered (6917) six thousand nine hundred and seventeen candidates,  including (5938) five thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight (men) and (979) nine hundred and seventy-nine (women). Moreover, it wills to ensure the safety of the election campaigns of the candidates noting that (277.761) two hundred and seventy-seven thousand seven hundred and one and sixty voters were excluded from the three cycles for not matching the conditions and from these conditions  not to be military and they numbered (51.230) and fifty-one thousand, two hundred and thirty military, or to be deceased and they numbered (30.086) thirty thousand and eighty-six deceased, or their name is duplicated and those numbered (171.684) one hundred thousand, six hundred and eighty-four voters, while (24.761) Twenty-four thousand seven hundred and one and sixty voters are ruled out for not fulfilling other conditions such as being under the legal age, or were excluded by a decision of the local committees and the Committee of Appeals.

 Then, we have addressed and met His Excellency the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, President of the Supreme Public Committee for election, Engineer Abdul Latif Abdul Malik Al-Sheikh, so as to discuss the election monitoring mechanisms, as well as meeting with the President of the Executive Committee of the elections, Engineer Judai Al Qahtani. In addition, the supervisors of the Society’s branches have met the Secretaries of some areas and the heads of the local committees in order to arrange for the monitoring process.

Being ready for the voting and counting process, the Society has formed a higher committee chaired by the Chairman of the Society, Dr. Mufleh Rabiean Al-Qahtani so as to generally oversee the election monitoring process. It has also formed sub-committees for men and women in different areas under the chairmanship of the supervisors of the branches to monitor the elections in the affiliated provinces and centers. This will be through choosing observers and watchers who have been trained as there are (35) workshop have been held for this purpose in order to make sure of applying all the adhered criteria and procedures in this day and to ensure justice and apply fairness and transparency so as to ensure the achievement of the objectives for which it was held these elections. Furthermore, a form has been prepared for this purpose, in accordance with the international standards, including elements that should be monitored and all the districts and polling centers that will be monitored, have been identified through selecting random samples so as to have a comprehensive picture of the electoral process and its integrity.  For more illustration, we have suddenly visits these centers which allow access to the general conditions in these centers and creating a link on the Society’s site to receive any complaints from candidates or voters which may have an effect on the electoral process or its results, as well as urging the voters and candidates to communicate with the Society through its phone numbers and its e-mail in case of monitoring any irregularities or abuses. After finishing the monitoring process, the positives and negatives have been observed as follows: –

Firstly: The Positive Notes:

• A very big concern for the success of the electoral process has been observed by the concerned authorities and there is a great cooperation and coordination between the concerned state agencies: Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs – the Ministry of Interior – the Ministry of education- the thing which contributed to the success of the electoral process.
• Committing to the compliance and electoral regulations, which allow everyone to participate without discrimination or bias.
• Fair distribution of electoral districts to a large extent.
• The commitment of the supervising committees of the elections to the provisions of the rules and regulations for the elections.
• Training the supervisors of the elections on the knowledge of the mechanisms, system and regulations which should be followed during the electoral process.
•  Declaring the lists of the men and women voters and candidates in each center, and enable all those who have the right to vote from voting.
•  A large awareness regarding the elections before its various stages including all the regions, governorates and centers through the different mass media and text messages.
• The polling stations are well equipped, prepared and organized for the electoral process for the most part.
• Not observing any of the supervisors of the polling stations directing voters to vote for a particular candidate or influence the conduct of the elections process.
• Reviewing the voter’s identity cards to make sure of his identities and taking his signature after verifying his identity as well as allocating private and confident places to vote for the voters during the voting process. Besides, sealing the forms with the official seal and putting the ballot box in an obvious.
• Respecting the starting and ending times of voting in general in most of the polling stations in the Kingdom.
• The Voting and electoral processes have taken place in a quiet and orderly atmosphere and were transparent and impartial and the counting was transparent and public.
• Good treatment with the disabled, the elderly, illiterate persons and enabling them to perform their electoral duty smoothly and easily.
• The good treatment and neutrality of the security employees near the polling stations.

Secondly: The Negatives Notes:

• Excluding some men and women candidates lately for reasons may be due to lacking some of the conditions; some decisions from the committee of appeal have been issued to them but they had to resort to the Board of Grievances (the administrative judiciary) to complete such decisions.
• Although access to most of the polling stations was easy but there was difficulty accessing a limited number of these stations.
• Some of the problems observed with respect to the terms of the fairness of the election campaigns and the necessary licenses to that, though there were some efforts to overcome it by the General Election Commission.
• Some difficulties faced by women regarding proving their identities or their place of residence which limited their ability to participate fully in the election process.
• The existence of advertising campaigns for some of the candidates through text messages even during the electoral process.
• Some candidates had encouraged voters to make their mark along tribal lines and not basing on the strength of the candidate programs.
• The absence of the candidates’ delegates who are allowed to control the electoral process in most of the polling stations
• Some voters in remote areas had been unable to reach polling stations and having difficulties proving their identities and their place of residence particularly in some areas that have no electricity services.
• Women workers, in some places, had hesitated to allow NSHR monitors to do their work.

 Overall rating for the municipal elections: the electoral process was at ease and characterized by integrity and transparency.