Fourth phase of Lebanon's of municipal, mayoral elections kicks off

BEIRUT, May 29 (KUNNA) -- The fourth and final stage of the local Lebanese elections for municipal and mayoral councils began on Sunday at around 273 towns and cities in the governorates of the North and Akkar.
The Interior Ministry in a statement said that some 580,000 voters were heading to polls in the North governorate while 270,000 are expected to vote in Akkar governorate.
Some 5,976 candidates are competing to gain membership in the municipal council in the two governorates. A total of 1,553 candidates are competing for 740 mayoral seats.
The municipal and mayoral elections include the city of Tripoli, the largest town in North governorate, and the second largest Lebanese city, as polling centers opened to receive 176,000 voters to pass their votes in the municipal council which consists of 24 members, and 51 mayors distributed in various neighborhoods of the city.
Lebanon witnessed during the past few weeks the first stages of the municipal and mayoral elections for candidacy period of 6 years in six various Lebanese governorates. (end) wsm.lb