Article 18 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law

This article regulates the election of the association's board of directors and its safeguards:

1. Method of election: the general assembly elects the board members by secret ballot, to protect members' freedom of choice.
2. Ministry attendance: the Ministry may appoint someone to attend the election to confirm it is conducted in accordance with the articles of association.
3. Cancelling the result: the Ministry may cancel the election result if it is satisfied that it was based on violations of the Law, the Regulations or the articles of association, provided this is done within 30 days of being notified of the result. After that period it may not cancel under this provision.
4. No combining roles: a person may not hold a job in the association and board membership at the same time, except with the Ministry's approval and as specified by the Regulations. The reason is to prevent conflicts of interest: an employee is subject to the board's oversight, so he should not sit on it without safeguards.

In practice: a member who believes the election was tainted by violations can notify the Ministry quickly, because the power to cancel is limited to thirty days from its being notified of the result. Anyone who needs to challenge their association's elections should consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.