Kurdistan Parliament Elections: Duhok Ready as Final Preparations Underway

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - With the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections just days away, officials in Duhok province have confirmed that all necessary equipment and devices have been successfully transferred to polling stations after thorough inspection and verification.

Khalid Abbas, the head of the Duhok branch of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), announced during a press conference on Tuesday, that "all preparations for both special and general voting in the sixth round of Kurdistan Parliament elections have been completed."

Abbas revealed that 98% of eligible voters in Duhok province, numbering over 724,000 individuals, have already collected their voting cards. He emphasized that Tuesday at 3:00 PM marks the final deadline for collecting any remaining unclaimed cards, as they will subsequently be returned to Baghdad.

"Today, we will be delivering voting equipment to schools designated as polling stations for the Kurdish parliamentary elections," Abbas stated. He assured that all devices have been rigorously tested and are functioning without any issues.

As the campaign period for the Kurdistan Parliament elections draws to a close on this Tuesday, the IHEC has reported that approximately 112,000 eligible voters across the Kurdistan Region have yet to collect their voting cards.

This includes 12,000 in Duhok, 77,000 in Sulaimani, and 23,000 in Erbil provinces.

The IHEC's Board of Commissioners has reaffirmed its complete readiness to conduct the elections as scheduled on Oct. 20. In a statement released on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the Commission emphasized its commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process.

"We have implemented robust procedures to guarantee our work is carried out with complete independence and impartiality," the statement read. "These measures are designed to prevent any manipulation or alteration of the voters' will and to safeguard every vote until the final results are announced."

The Commission also highlighted its collaboration with a reputable international company specializing in software inspection to address any technical issues with the voting devices.

Additionally, manual counting and sorting of all polling stations will be conducted to verify the electronic results before the official announcement.

As the Kurdistan Region prepares for this crucial democratic exercise, all eyes are on the IHEC to deliver a successful and transparent election that accurately reflects the will of the Kurdish people.