2013
Jordan Parliamentary Elections
6
Independent Election Commission
(IEC)
The IEC was appointed by King Abdullah II on
May 2012, to take over election administration
from the Ministry of Interior, which had
previously conducted all of Jordan’s parliamentary
elections. The IEC introduced new election
procedures, including allowing citizen and
international election observers, and requiring
voters to register in the electoral district where
they wish to cast their vote, and select the polling
center at which they plan to vote.
International Republican Institute
(IRI)
A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, IRI
advances freedom and democracy worldwide by
developing political parties, civic institutions,
open elections, democratic governance and the
rule of law.
Majlis al-Aayan
The Upper House of Parliament.
Majlis al-Nuwaab
The Lower House of Parliament.
Mukhabarat
The Arabic term used to describe the domestic
intelligence apparatus in Arab states. In Jordan,
the
Dairat al-Mukhabarat al-Ammah
, or General
Intelligence Directorate, is commonly referred to
using this term.
National Dialogue Committee
(NDC)
A 52-member independent body comprised of
representatives from civil society, professional
associations and political parties, tasked in 2011
with making reform recommendations to King
Abdullah’s government. The NDC
recommended that the IEC be formed and
oversee elections in Jordan instead of the Ministry
of Interior.
Single Non-Transferrable Vote
(SNTV)
The SNTV system is also known as the “one
man, one vote” law in Jordan. First adopted in
1993, the SNTV system has been in use in Jordan
ever since. Under SNTV, each voter casts one
vote for a candidate even if there is more than
one seat to be filled in each electoral district.
Those candidates with the highest vote totals fill
these seats. SNTV in the Jordanian context
