Kurdistan Region records highest turnout in Iraq’s early voting
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region’s three provinces recorded the highest turnout rate for Iraq’s early voting in the parliamentary elections as of noon, according to official figures.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) reported a 60 percent turnout among security forces, while only 38 internally displaced persons (IDPs) cast their votes. The Kurdistan Region recorded the highest turnout in the country, at 77 percent overall.
Early voting for Iraqi legislative elections began on Sunday, with the general process taking place on Tuesday. Polling stations opened at 7 am and will close at 6 pm, with over 1.3 million members of the security forces and over 26,000 IDPs eligible to vote at 4,501 designated stations nationwide.
Sulaimani province recorded the highest turnout, with 78 percent of members of the security forces casting their ballots. The lowest turnout nationwide was recorded in Baghdad’s Rasafa area.
Halabja, which was officially declared Iraq’s 19th province, is still considered part of Sulaimani in these elections.
“The overall turnout in Kurdistan was 77 percent as of 1 pm,” Nabard Omar, head of the IHEC’s office in the Kurdistan Region, told Rudaw.
According to the IHEC, 21,404,291 voters with biometric cards are eligible to participate in the election.
In total, 31 alliances, 38 political parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups.
[Source: Rûdaw English]
