Iraqi Elections 2021: Duhok witnesses highest voter turnout in Kurdistan Region

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In contrast to the general low turnout across Iraq, more than 50 percent of the eligible voters in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province participated in the early parliamentary elections on Sunday, according to the electoral commission. 

On Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. local time, polling centers across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region closed after being open for 11 hours for voting.  

The voter turnout in Duhok province was 54 percent, which is the highest among the Kurdish provinces of Iraq. On the other hand, Sulaimani province only saw 37 percent of eligible voters participating, according to the latest figures from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Monday.

All over Iraq, the “initial” turnout stands at 41 percent. That initial figure is less than the 2018 election's final 44.5 percent turnout.

According to the electoral commission, the figures are from 94 percent of polling stations across the country.

Out of over 25 million eligible voters, just over 9 million Iraqis cast their ballots, the commission added.

The IHEC is expected to announce the official preliminary results on Monday.

Following the elections, the Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani spoke with Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi on Sunday evening to congratulate him for delivering on his promise to facilitate early elections.

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