New initiative targets universities to encourage students to vote

AMMAN — Politicians met with university students on Wednesday at the launch of a new initiative to encourage young people to participate in the upcoming elections. 

“This initiative is being launched today out of despair. In Jordan, we have around 4 million voters, 2 million of them belong to the younger generation and 300,000 of them are university students,” said Sameer Mashhour, coordinator of the “Universities Elect” initiative.

The initiative will target around 150,000 students at the University of Jordan (UJ), the Jordan University of Science and Technology, the Hashemite University and Yarmouk University, according to Mashhour.

Launched at UJ, the initiative brings together students and activists from different political backgrounds and parties, the coordinator said.  

“We all agree that reform starts with participating in the elections and that boycotting the upcoming polls will not do any good… Change does not happen overnight,” he added.

UJ Student Union President Mohammad Saaydeh said university students make up around 15 per cent of voters, and “hold the key” for a better future for the country. 

“Our message contributes to making this generation aware of its actions and solutions to the issues facing Jordan,” he said.

But student Jihad Abu Sukkar, who has participated in seminars on elections at UJ, warned that the ratio of university students who actually vote does not exceed 5 per cent. 

“This is a low percentage. We have to work hand-in-hand to increase their awareness. I understand why the remaining percentage is reluctant to vote; it is because of the decisions approved by previous parliaments that do not represent the whole society,” Abu Sukkar said. 

Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of State Musa Maaytah said young Jordanians should unite to take part in the upcoming elections to take control of their future.

“The upcoming elections determine the future of many [young Jordanians], they also help to provide jobs for them,” he said. 

Addressing students, he added: “You have a role to suggest a plan for the government’s legislation and decisions.”

The minister continued: “Taking part in the elections helps in contributing to a better decision making system, whether we vote or not, there will be a Parliament that will make decisions on behalf of the people, including offering job opportunities.”

Under the Elections Law, candidates can participate in the parliamentary elections on multimember lists. 

The law divides Jordan into 23 electoral districts, with one district for each governorate, while the capital contains five districts, Zarqa has two and Irbid has four. 

Zuhair Abu Fares, a commissioner at the Independent Election Commission, said students’ participation in elections helps Jordan face challenges at home and across the region.

He urged students to express their opinions and criticise the decisions or actions of MPs that fail to meet their demands.

Representatives of around 150 election monitors from around the world will be present to supervise the voting procedure on September 20, according to Abu Fares.

Citizens’ names are listed in the database of one polling station, he said, and as the citizen votes, his or her name is taken off the database to stop anyone from voting more than once. .

The number of MPs as per the new Election Law will be 130, including 15 seats for the women’s quota.