The Syrian Supreme Committee for People’s Assembly Elections announced on Friday, September 26, the release of the final lists of electoral body members for the country’s constituencies.

Nawar Najmeh, spokesperson for the committee, told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the lists are now final, and all registered members are entitled to both run for People’s Assembly membership and vote in the elections.

Najmeh added that candidacy for the People’s Assembly elections will open on Saturday and Sunday, September 27 and 28, followed by the launch of the electoral campaign. The elections are scheduled for October 5.

During this period, candidates for People’s Assembly membership are permitted to present their electoral platforms and biographies, and intellectual debates between candidates will also be organized, according to Najmeh.

As of the time of publishing, the committee had issued the final lists of electoral body members for the constituencies of Damascus and Idlib, Enab Baladi has observed.

Appeals process

On September 24, Najmeh said on X that the final names of electoral body members would be announced within 24 hours, with a one-day appeal window.

He noted that appeals were accepted against anyone proven to have supported the former regime or violated the conditions and standards of electoral body membership.

The committee had previously issued the preliminary electoral lists on September 18 and opened a three-day appeal period starting from that date.

In an earlier statement to Enab Baladi, Najmeh said that preliminary lists would be displayed publicly for three days to allow citizens to submit appeals against members’ names, after which the final electoral lists would be announced.

Electoral mechanism

According to the electoral system issued by the Supreme Committee, the process is based on the formation of a sub-committee in each constituency. These sub-committees, after consulting with local communities and official bodies, appoint the electoral body, which then elects People’s Assembly members from among its members.

The number of electoral body members in each constituency is calculated by multiplying the number of seats allocated to that constituency by 50. For example, Aleppo province has 32 seats, meaning its electoral body comprises 1,600 members.

The Supreme Committee announces the polling date at least two days in advance. Voting takes place on a single day in all constituencies, starting at 9 a.m. for three hours, extendable if voters are still waiting within the vicinity of the polling center.

Media access is permitted with the approval of the committee chair. Ballot counting is conducted publicly immediately after the polls close. In the event of a tie between candidates for a seat, a runoff is held the next day.

Appeals against results are allowed within three days and must be resolved within five days, after which the final results are announced.

Once results are finalized, the Supreme Committee submits the names of winners to the presidency, which issues a decree naming People’s Assembly members along with one-third appointed directly by the president.

Within one week of the decree, the Assembly holds its first session, presided over by the oldest member with the youngest member serving as secretary.

In this session, the Assembly elects its speaker, two deputies, and secretary by secret ballot and majority vote. In the second session, members take the constitutional oath before the president, in accordance with Article 27 of the Constitutional Declaration.