Saudi Arabia holds first ever vote open to women

A Saudi woman leaves a polling station after casting her vote during municipal elections Credit: Reuters

Saudi Arabia is holding its first ever election open to female voters and candidates.

It is a landmark for women's rights in the conservative kingdom where women are effectively banned from driving and require a guardian's permission to travel abroad.

The female candidates are competing against nearly 6,000 male candidates for places on 284 councils.

A candidate in Saudi's municipal elections gestures to one of her chaperones Credit: Reuters

Saudi's municipal councils, which have limited real power, constitute the country's only elected public bodies.

In a bid to bolster female participation in the vote, the online taxi-hailing service Uber is offering women who want to vote a free lift to polling stations.

The free service to take women to vote is a joint effort between US-based tech company and Al-Nahda Philanthropic Society for Women, a Saudi women's empowerment group.

According to election rules, female candidates can be fined if they are caught speaking directly to male voters.

A man casts his vote at a male only polling station Credit: Reuters

Men and women are casting ballots at separate voting centres.

Saudi Arabia is the last country in the world to allow women to vote except for the Vatican City, where male cardinals elect the pope.