IHEC trains 41,000 employees for upcoming KRG elections across 1,431 polling stations

Jamil emphasized that these 41,000 trained employees will supervise both general and special voting, ensuring the electoral process proceeds smoothly.

An illustrative representation of the election.  (Photo: Kurdistan24)
An illustrative representation of the election. (Photo: Kurdistan24)

Erbil (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has initiated the training of 41,000 employees to oversee the ballot boxes for the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) parliamentary elections.

These elections will take place across 1,431 polling stations in the Kurdistan Region.

On Sunday, Imad Jamil, head of the press team at IHEC, informed Kurdistan 24 that the general voting will be conducted in 1,266 polling stations, which include 6,318 voting bases. Special voting will take place in 165 polling stations, covering 749 voting bases.

Jamil emphasized that these 41,000 trained employees will supervise both general and special voting, ensuring the electoral process proceeds smoothly. "They have been trained for several days on how to manage the elections and supervise the process," he noted.

Polling Station Breakdown for General Voting:

Erbil: 498 polling stations with 2,213 voting bases

Sulaimani: 477 polling stations with 2,373 voting bases

Duhok: 264 polling stations with 1,596 voting bases

Halabja: 27 polling stations with 136 voting bases

Total for General Voting: 1,266 polling stations and 6,318 voting bases

Polling Station Breakdown for Special Voting (Security Forces, Peshmerga):

Erbil: 62 polling stations with 306 voting bases

Sulaimani: 57 polling stations with 276 voting bases

Duhok: 33 polling stations with 142 voting bases

Halabja: 1 polling station with 3 voting bases

Other Provinces: Baghdad (Rassafa & Karkh), Nineveh, Kirkuk, Diyala, Anbar, Wast, Salahaddin – 11 polling stations with 19 voting bases

Total for Special Voting: 165 polling stations and 749 voting bases

Jamil also explained that 48 hours before the special voting, set for October 18, 2024, the necessary equipment will be transferred to the designated polling stations, primarily located in schools. Testing of this equipment will also take place to ensure everything is ready for the elections.

The campaign for the sixth session of the Kurdistan Regional Government's parliamentary elections will run until October 15, 2024. A special committee has been formed by the KRG to monitor the campaigns of independent parties and candidates.

Key Dates for the KRG Parliamentary Elections:

Special Voting: October 18, 2024 – For the Peshmerga and other security forces

General Voting: October 20, 2024 – For the general population

A total of 136 lists, with 1,191 candidates, including party-affiliated, independent, and finalist candidates, will compete for 100 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament.

Seat Distribution in the Kurdistan Parliament by Province:

Erbil: 32 seats

Sulaimani: 36 seats

Duhok: 24 seats

Halabja: 3 seats

Quota Seats (Reserved Seats for ethnic and religious communities):

Erbil: 2 seats

Sulaimani: 2 seats

Duhok: 1 seat

Halabja: 0 seats

This election is a critical milestone for the Kurdistan Region, as it seeks to elect representatives who will shape the next phase of governance in the KRG.