The final number of candidates in December 24 local elections stands at 7,205, President of the Independent High Authority for Elections (French: ISIE) Farouk Bouasker said on Tuesday. All challenges lodged with the Administrative Court have no effect on preliminary results, except for the re-classification of a candidate in the constituency of Sfax 1, Bouasker further told a press conference held in Tunis to announce the final list of candidates and shed light on preparations for the forthcoming stages of the electoral process. Figures provided by the ISIE President show 6,177 candidates out of a total of 7,205 are direct candidates. The remaining 1,028 candidacies - by sortition- are those of people with disabilities. Bouasker further said 22.1% of candidates are aged under 35 and 13.3% are women. The number of voters in inland regions stands at 9,079,271, of whom 33.1% are aged under 35, he added. Tunisian expatriates will not cast their ballots in these elections. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Pres se