First Statement Regarding the "Twentieth House of Representatives" Elections Voting Stage 2024

The Independent Election Commission has scheduled the constitutional election for the Twentieth House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. In accordance with the National Center for Human Rights' mandate under Law No. (51) of 2006 and its amendments, the Center has deployed a team of 572 observers to monitor the voting stage. Of these, 474 observers were stationed across polling sites in various regions of the Kingdom, covering 28.7% of polling stations and 8.19% of ballot boxes. The remaining observers are stationed in the field and in the Center's operations room, ensuring that field observations, complaints, and comments are swiftly communicated to the Independent Election Commission for immediate action, thereby safeguarding the electoral process.

The observer team was selected to represent a cross-section of society, including youth, university students, civil society organizations, activists, and persons with disabilities.

To enhance monitoring efficiency, the Center developed an electronic application for real-time tracking of Election Day progress. Observers received training on using this app, which features functionalities such as locating ballot boxes and tracking observer locations.

From the start of the voting process, the following observations were noted:

Approximately 86% of polling stations adhered to the legally mandated opening time as stipulated in Election Law No. (4) of 2022.
99% of polling and counting committee members were present before the procedures for opening the ballot boxes commenced.
About 6% of the Center's observers were prevented from witnessing the opening of the boxes and the commencement of voting.
Women represented 69.8% of polling committee members.
22% of polling stations had individuals in the polling and counting rooms who were not members of the polling and counting committees during the box opening and record preparation.
97.9% of ballot boxes were opened and shown empty to those present.
81.1% of polling stations conducted ballot paper counting in the presence of those present before voting began.
94.1% of polling stations prepared and signed box opening records.
Accessibility arrangements for persons with disabilities and the elderly were lacking at 15% of polling stations.
Election campaigning occurred inside or outside 27% of polling stations. Specific incidents included a voter wearing candidate-branded clothing at Marj Al-Hamam Mixed Basic School in Amman’s third district and campaigning inside Al-Juwaida Secondary School for Boys in Amman’s first district.
Voting procedure guides were available at 66.9% of polling stations.
Privacy screens and voting supplies were provided.
Voter lists were available in both paper and electronic formats at all polling stations.
All ballot boxes were placed in monitored locations.
Voting procedures were followed at all monitored ballot boxes.
All boxes were sealed with numbered locks.
The National Center for Human Rights received and addressed several complaints:

Observers were initially barred from entering certain polling stations in Irbid (Idoun Secondary School for Girls), Ajloun (Ajloun Mixed Basic School), Amman (Qadisiyah Basic School for Girls), Madaba (Tariq Bin Ziyad Comprehensive Secondary School for Boys), and Ma'an. The issue was reported to and rectified by the Independent Election Commission.
Accessibility issues were reported at Queen Rania Mixed Basic School in the Southern Badia district and at two polling stations in Balqa Governorate (Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Second School for Islamic Sciences, Queen Rania Mixed Basic School).
Instances of ballot paper photography were reported at polling stations in Balqa (King Abdullah II School for Excellence, Sayfiyya Secondary School for Boys), Irbid (Ramtha Secondary School for Boys), and Jerash (Souf Basic School for Boys).
Fake ballot papers were seized and destroyed at Palestine Basic School for Boys in Ma'an.
The National Center for Human Rights’ operations room operates 24/7 and can be reached at the following numbers:

065931256
065932257
065931071