We’ve read that candidates need to address voters of the opposite gender via video in order to avoid direct contact and that candidates can’t feature their own face on their posters. What are some other ways in which the style and substance of these campaigns in Saudi Arabia differ from what our readers experience and see in the U.S.?

Rachel Martin: "There are no visible signs of an election here at all. No yard signs. No billboards. Because of the campaign restrictions, the only way candidates can reach out to voters is in small private settings or online through social media. Mainly the female candidates are trying to gin up support through their own personal networks. I spoke with a woman candidate last night, a pediatrician who told me she has tens of thousands of patients and she's hoping all of them go out and vote for her. Although she added that she doesn't really think she's going to win and, for her, just being able to run is an important first step."

There are lots of things women still can’t do in Saudi Arabia. What are some of the other rights that activists there are continuing to seek?

Rachel Martin: "This past week, a big change happened: Divorced women can now register their children for school or take them to the doctor and generally manage their lives. That hadn't been the case before. That's a huge victory for women's-rights advocates here. It looks as if the government is also rolling back some of the restrictions on women's ability to travel outside the country without a male relative's permission. That would also be a significant change. The gender-segregation rules are still burdensome, and the guardianship rules…still make it impossible for a woman to make a lot of choices on her own. And, yes, not being able to drive is still a big deal."