Kuwait City: Kuwaitis were voting on Thursday in the second parliamentary election in the tiny oil-rich Gulf country in less than two years.
In December 2020, Kuwait elected a parliament that was dissolved in June of this year and an early election was called, after a months-long stalemate between opposition lawmakers and the government.
High voter turnout was seen on Thursday in some polling stations that dpa visited in the first hours of the balloting that started at 8 am.
As a result of recent electoral amendments, voters can more easily cast their ballots using identification cards, said Justice Minister Jamal al Jalwai, who predicted higher turnout than in the previous elections.
"The intense [voter] showing in the early hours of the elections proves these elections will be different and will witness a bigger percentage of participation than before," he said without giving specific figures.
Some 305 candidates, including 22 women, are standing in the election for the 50-member parliament, known as the National Assembly, with a four-year mandate.
Official figures initially put the number of the contestants at 313, including 27 women, but the figure was eventually lowered to 305 after eight pulled out of the race.
All contenders are running as individuals because political parties are banned in Kuwait.
Nearly 796,000 Kuwaitis are eligible to vote at polling stations, which will be open for 12 hours.
Official results are expected on Friday.
Kuwait was the first country in the Gulf region to establish an elected parliament in 1963.
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