Iraq Enters Electoral Silence Ahead of Special and General Voting
Iraq enters a nationwide electoral silence, halting all campaigning before special voting Sunday and general elections Tuesday. The IHEC mandates a neutral environment for 7,768 candidates competing for 329 parliamentary seats.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) –
Iraq entered a nationwide electoral silence on Saturday, November 8, 2025, marking the final pause before the beginning of both special and general voting for the country’s sixth parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place next Tuesday, November 11.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Friday that the silence period officially began at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, ahead of special voting on Sunday, November 9, and general voting on Tuesday, November 11, as Iraq prepares for one of its most crucial electoral moments in recent years.
According to the IHEC, special voting will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2025, allowing security personnel, military staff, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to cast their ballots ahead of the general vote.
Voting will begin at 7:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. across 809 polling centers containing 4,501 polling stations dedicated to 1,313,980 registered military and security voters.
Similarly, 26,538 internally displaced voters will participate in the special voting process across 27 polling centers and 97 stations, according to the commission’s data.
The IHEC reaffirmed that all preparations for special voting have been finalized, with security and monitoring mechanisms in place to ensure transparency and credibility in the process.
Silence Period and Campaign Conclusion
In a statement issued to all political alliances, parties, and candidates, the IHEC stressed that the electoral silence requires a complete halt to campaigning and promotional activity, including rallies, media endorsements, and advertisements.
During this period, media outlets are permitted only to educate voters about the election process and encourage participation — without endorsing or criticizing any political entity.
“The purpose of the electoral silence,” the statement said, “is to provide a calm and neutral environment that enables voters to make their decisions freely and with full awareness.”
The official campaign period began on October 3, 2025, and concluded early Saturday morning with the onset of the silence phase.
The commission has approved 7,768 candidates — 5,520 men and 2,248 women — representing 38 political parties, 31 alliances, and 75 individual lists, all competing for 329 parliamentary seats.
In total, around 30 million Iraqis out of the country’s 46 million population are eligible to vote. However, nearly seven million citizens have not renewed their voter cards and will therefore be unable to participate in the elections.
Following Sunday’s special voting, the general vote will take place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, when citizens across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region will head to polling stations to elect a new parliament.
As Iraq now enters the quiet phase before voting begins, the atmosphere is marked by anticipation, political calculation, and heightened security. The coming days will determine not only the composition of the next parliament, but also the direction of Iraq’s political and administrative future.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2025, at 11:03 Am.