Ladies rock the vote in Saudi Arabia!

The mayor of Mecca, Osama al-Bar, told the Associated Press on Sunday that Salma al-Oteibi won in an area called Madrakah, about 93 miles (150 kilometers) north of Islam’s holiest site.

Al-Bar also confirmed through election officials in Saudi Arabia’s second largest city of Jiddah that another female candidate, Lama al-Suleiman, had won a seat there.

Among the 6,440 candidates running for seats on 284 councils were more than 900 women, who had to overcome a number of obstacles to participate in the landmark poll.

The women were allowed to vote and contest in the municipal election in accordance to the royal decree issued in 2011.

Female candidates could not meet face-to-face with male voters during campaigning, while neither men nor women could publish their pictures.

It was the first time Saudi Arabian women were allowed to vote and to be candidates in elections.

“I’m surprised. We expected maybe one or two women would win”.

Sabq.org, a news website affiliated with Saudi Interior Ministry, was first to report that the 17 had successfully been elected across the kingdom. “I cried. This is something that we only used to see on television taking place in other countries”.

“I think it’s fantastic”, said Mr Omar, who pointed out that the turnout among Saudi women was higher than in many elections in Western countries.

But the nationwide election on Saturday was a milestone nevertheless-the first in which women were allowed to both vote and run for office.

At least seven women emerged victorious from a field of candidates vastly outnumbered by men in a male-dominated society.

In a country where royalty holds extensive executive powers, municipal councils are limited to advising local government and helping oversee budgets. Women have also been appointed to the Shura Council, though it functions as little more than an advisory body to the absolute monarch, King Salman.

The latest annual World Economic Forum rankings of how well countries have closed gaps between women and men across a range of sectors placed Saudi Arabia in 134th place out of 145 countries rated.

Saturday’s municipal poll, which was hailed by many as historic, saw a turnout of about 47 percent, according to Saudi officials. Out of 1.35 million men registered, nearly 600,000 cast ballots.

This event occurred for the first time in the history of the country. “Only in the movies”, the daughter said, referring to the ballot box.