Observer: Smoothness in Amman Chamber of Industry Election Procedures

- Observer calls for expanding representation of SMEs and enhancing the developmental role of industrial chambers

The Life Center–Observer monitored the Amman Chamber of Industry Board of Directors elections on Saturday, October 3, 2026, through five oversight teams. With the closing of the ballot boxes at 7 PM, 640 out of 1199 eligible voters participated, representing a 53.4% turnout. Compared to the previous two sessions, the participation in the Amman Chamber of Industry elections in 2022 was about 87%, with 1014 voters out of 1169, and 83.5% in 2018, with 1010 voters out of 1209.

In terms of sectoral participation, the plastic and rubber industries had the highest participation at 69.9%, with 102 voters out of 146, while the construction industry had the lowest participation at 39.8%, with 33 voters out of 83.

The oversight teams observed smooth procedures and regular voting without any breaches or violations within the scope of monitoring during the voting process. The electoral process started at 9 AM after the legal quorum was completed, with 51.9% of the electorate registered for the meeting.

In Amman, the competition was limited to the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Industry, with ten individuals running for nine seats, while the representation of industrial sectors was decided by acclamation, as were the elections for the Irbid and Zarqa Chambers of Industry, where the number of candidates equaled the number of seats.

Observer conducted a field survey of 213 respondents who voted in Amman, and 94.8% rated the clarity of the ballot instructions as excellent. 97.2% said the voting process took less than ten minutes from entering the center to leaving, 95.8% described the performance of the Independent Election Commission as excellent, and 89.7% believed the elections were conducted with a high degree of integrity. 85% expressed a high degree of confidence that the counting and announcement of results would accurately reflect the voters' choices.

Experience and competence were the most important factors in the question about the main reason for choosing candidates for 40.4%, followed by previous performance in the chamber for 40%, while 8.5% chose the proposed program for serving the industry. 54% expected the elected chamber to represent their establishment's needs to a large extent, and 29.6% to a great extent.

When asked about the industrialists' expectations for their establishments' activity in the coming year, 54.5% expected expansion, 37.6% expected it to remain at the current level, and 6.1% expected a reduction, while 1.9% could not predict.

Observer called for reviewing and amending the law of chambers of industry and the systems and instructions issued under it to expand the participation of small and medium industrial establishments and ensure their effective representation on the boards of directors of chambers and sectors. The review includes membership conditions, election and nomination, and representation mechanisms, to allow these establishments greater presence in setting priorities and making decisions, as they are a fundamental pillar of the Jordanian economy, production, operation, and local development.

Observer also called on industrial chambers to develop a developmental vision for each industrial sector, in partnership with establishments of all sizes, in line with the economic modernization vision. These visions include measurable goals for increasing production, exports, and employment, addressing energy, finance, skills, and market access challenges, with periodic reports on implementation and enhanced dialogue with the government to monitor the response to sector priorities.

It is noted that the counting process began immediately after the boxes were closed.