Baghdad, Iraq – Special voting booths for military and security forces in Iraq closed today, Sunday, two days ahead of the general parliamentary elections scheduled for Tuesday. Approximately 1.3 million eligible voters from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, the Counter-Terrorism Service, Popular Mobilization Forces, border crossings, and the Peshmerga and Interior Ministries in the Kurdistan Region cast their ballots across Iraq’s 18 provinces.
Voting commenced at 7:00 AM local time. In addition to security personnel, over 26,500 displaced persons also participated in today’s special voting process.
According to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), voter turnout reached 67% by midday. The IHEC further noted that the Kurdistan Region recorded the highest participation rate, exceeding 97% across the governorates of Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah.
Voting took place in over 800 polling centers, encompassing approximately 4,500 stations nationwide. Election officials reported that the voting process proceeded smoothly, with a significant presence of international observers.
Iraqis are scheduled to head to the polls on Tuesday for the general election, marking the sixth parliamentary cycle since the 2003 US-led invasion. A total of 7,768 candidates are vying for seats in the 329-member parliament.
The upcoming elections will pave the way for the selection of a new President of the Republic, a largely symbolic post traditionally held by a Kurd, and the appointment of a new Prime Minister. These processes typically involve consensus-building and can often take several months to finalize.
