Civic polls: Restrictions on campaign donations

Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Candidates in the Dec. 12 municipal elections are not allowed to receive financial support from private companies having state-owned shares or having business relations with government agencies, said Judai Bin Nahar Al-Qahtani, spokesman of the General Committee for Municipal Elections. However, he said, other private companies can support more than one candidate. “Municipal Election bylaw demands from candidates to reveal sources of income to finance their election campaigns after winning the poll,” said Al-Qahtani. “They will be given forms to write all their financial sources used during the campaign,” he added. Article 34 of the bylaw applies on poll winners whose names appear in the primary list, Al-Qahtani said, adding that they have to submit the form within 10 days after the results are out. “The measure was adopted to control sources of finance and ensure transparency in financial sources used for campaigning,” said the spokesman. Candidates need a substantial amount of money for election campaigning and setting up their offices. Al-Qahtani said candidates who violate the law related to financial source would face jail or fine. They face imprisonment if receive money from foreign sources or cause damage to the campaign office or means of other candidates or failed to reveal sources of finance. Revealing source of finance is one of the conditions for a candidate to hold election campaign. A candidate faces a fine of up to SR10,000, if he/she presents wrong information to the local election committee or collect donation or gifts for campaigning or conducts contests during election campaigning, or violate any other campaigning rules. The bylaw includes fines not exceeding SR1,000 for violating the general law or triggering sedition or causing racial or tribal or regional conflict or offending any of the voters or candidates, directly or indirectly. The same fine will be imposed if they use mosque, public facilities or government bodies or educational institutions or charitable societies or sports and cultural clubs for electioneering. The bylaw bans election propaganda with the support of foreign agencies and use of state, religious, historical and tribal symbols, and names and photos of public figures. They are also not allowed to use visual media including public and private TV channels. Direct and indirect contacts among candidates and their joint media campaigns are also banned. Candidates are not allowed to make any propaganda after the campaigning period ends.