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| Saudi Arabia: First woman councillor elected | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A woman has won a seat on a municipal council for the first time in Saudi Arabia, after the kingdom lifted its bar on women taking part in elections. | |
| Salma bint Hizab al-Oteibi won a seat in Mecca province in Saturday's vote, the electoral commission said. | |
| Votes are still being counted in the municipal elections, which were the first where women could vote and stand as candidates. | |
| A total of 978 women registered as candidates, alongside 5,938 men. | A total of 978 women registered as candidates, alongside 5,938 men. |
| Officials said about 130,000 women had registered to vote in Saturday's poll, compared with 1.35 million men. | |
| The vote is being seen as a milestone in the conservative kingdom, which is the only nation where women are not allowed to drive. | |
| Female candidates had to speak behind a partition while campaigning or be represented by a man. Turnout was high, state media reported. | Female candidates had to speak behind a partition while campaigning or be represented by a man. Turnout was high, state media reported. |
| Quiz: Life as a woman in Saudi Arabia | Quiz: Life as a woman in Saudi Arabia |
| In pictures: Saudi women vote | In pictures: Saudi women vote |
| Elections themselves are a rare thing in the Saudi kingdom - Saturday was only the third time in history that Saudis had gone to the polls. | |
| There were no elections in the 40 years between 1965 and 2005. | There were no elections in the 40 years between 1965 and 2005. |
| The decision to allow women to take part was taken by the late King Abdullah and is seen as a key part of his legacy. | The decision to allow women to take part was taken by the late King Abdullah and is seen as a key part of his legacy. |
| In announcing the reforms, King Abdullah said women in Saudi Arabia "have demonstrated positions that expressed correct opinions and advice". | In announcing the reforms, King Abdullah said women in Saudi Arabia "have demonstrated positions that expressed correct opinions and advice". |
| Before he died in January, he appointed 30 women to the country's top advisory Shura Council. | Before he died in January, he appointed 30 women to the country's top advisory Shura Council. |
| There were 2,100 council seats available in Saturday's vote. An additional 1,050 seats are appointed with approval from the king. | There were 2,100 council seats available in Saturday's vote. An additional 1,050 seats are appointed with approval from the king. |