Voting started on Saturday for municipal elections in Saudi Arabia, where women voters and candidates have been allowed for the first time. More than 900 women are running for seats on the municipal councils, though they have had to speak behind a partition during their campaign or be represented by men. Female voter registration stands at around 1,30,000, which is one-tenth that of male voter registration. Women said this was because of a lack of awareness, bureaucratic obstacles, and even because they are not allowed to drive and could not sign up themselves, The National reported.

The decision to allow women to vote was taken by the late King Abdullah, who appointed 30 women to the country’s advisory Shura Council before his death in January. These are the third-ever elections in the history of Saudi Arabia, the BBC said. Polling closes at 5 pm today.