Politics

Iraq's electoral commission reports 69 percent voter turnout in advance polls

Provinces with the highest participation rate included Babil, Sulaimani, Maysan, and Erbil, in all of which turnout was at least 75 percent, according to data shared by the IHEC.

Kurdistan 24 2021/10/08 22:46

A voter participates in Iraq's early election in the Kurdistan Region, Oct. 08, 2021. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Iraq Iraqi Election 2021 Iraq IHEC

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Friday reported that close to 69 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in Friday's advance polls that included members of the security forces, internally displaced persons, and some prison inmates.

Of the near 1.2 million individuals who were able to vote on Friday--two days before the general election--, 821,800 people cast a ballot, data shared by the IHEC showed.

Provinces with the highest participation rate included Babil province, 80 percent, Sulaimani province, 78 percent, Maysan province, 76 percent, and Erbil province, 75 percent.

Regions with the lowest turnout included Anbar province, 59 percent, Kirkuk province, 62 percent, Baghdad's Karkh district, 62 percent, and Baghdad's Rusafa district, 64 percent.

An IHEC report that documents the number of eligible voters, the number of individuals who voted, and the turnout rate across Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.

The number was at 69 percent in Duhok province.

As Friday's early voting concluded, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani praised the region's security forces for turning out to participate in the election.