‘Very Well and Without Problems’: Iraq’s Electoral Commission Reports Smooth Special Voting Process Nationwide
"Since 7:00 AM, more than 800 polling stations have been opened to welcome more than one million and 300 thousand special voters," Hassan Hadi, a member of the IHEC media team, stated.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has declared the crucial first phase of the nation's parliamentary elections a resounding success, reporting that the special voting process for over 1.3 million security personnel and displaced persons is proceeding "very well and without any problems" across the country.
In a statement to Kurdistan24 on Sunday, a commission official confirmed that all polling stations opened on time, electronic voting machines are functioning flawlessly, and praised the disciplined participation of the security forces, painting a picture of a well-organized and secure start to the monumental democratic exercise.
Hassan Hadi, a member of the IHEC media team, provided a comprehensive update on the nationwide operation, which kicked off promptly at 7:00 AM.
"Since 7:00 AM, more than 800 polling stations have been opened to welcome more than one million and 300 thousand special voters," Hadi stated. He emphatically confirmed the smooth running of the process, asserting that it "is proceeding very well and without any problems, and all centers and stations were opened at their designated times."
The success of the logistics was also attributed to the cooperation of the voters themselves, as Hadi specifically "praised the role of the security forces in organizing their members to participate in the voting process."
This official confirmation from IHEC headquarters in Baghdad aligns with reports from the ground in the Kurdistan Region, where the Peshmerga forces were seen participating with remarkable discipline. Didawan Khurshid, the spokesperson for the Zerevani Forces Command, had earlier told Kurdistan24 that the Peshmerga were voting in an orderly fashion from their trenches according to a meticulous schedule, a sight he described as a "sign of the complete commitment of the forces to the process."
Hadi also addressed specific operational and political questions, including the noticeable absence of polling stations in Baghdad's Sadr City, a major political stronghold. He clarified that the distribution of centers was a logistical decision based on the physical presence of military units, not a political one.
"The distribution of centers was based on the presence of military forces," Hadi explained. "For example, in the Rusafa area, there are a large number of polling stations and a media center has also been opened there. But there are none in the Sadr area because the Sadrists have boycotted the elections."
Crucially, Hadi provided reassurance regarding the reliability of the electronic voting equipment, a point of significant concern in past elections. "The machines are working without problems in all centers," he confirmed. He then detailed the multi-layered verification process designed to ensure the integrity of each vote.
"The voting process is as follows: first, the biometric card is inserted into the machine. Then the machine compares the information on the card with the registered information. If the information matches, the voter can continue and their name is registered." To safeguard against any potential technological failure, a robust backup system is in place.
"Also, as a backup procedure, a form is given to the voter to cast their vote on," Hadi noted. "Each form has a special barcode that must match the barcode that goes into the ballot box," creating a secure paper trail that corresponds with the electronic record.
The smooth operation reported by IHEC is a massive undertaking. A total of one million, 313 thousand members of the security forces and employees of the Ministry of Interior across federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are eligible to vote, alongside more than 26,000 internally displaced persons.
A significant majority of these displaced voters are located within the borders of Duhok province, casting their ballots in dedicated centers. To accommodate this electorate, 809 specialized polling centers have been established nationwide. The process is scheduled to run for eleven hours, with the electronic ballot boxes programmed to seal automatically at 6:00 PM, with no possibility of extension.
This special voting day serves as the essential prelude to the general election on Tuesday, November 11, when the rest of the nation’s eligible voters will head to the polls. It is the first concrete step in a vast and highly competitive electoral process.
According to previous statements from IHEC, an initial pool of 7,744 candidates registered to run for seats in the Council of Representatives. A rigorous vetting process later disqualified 848 of these contenders, but the field remains crowded and the political stakes are incredibly high.
The capital, Baghdad, represents the election's largest prize, with 71 parliamentary seats available. The race there is the most intense in the country, with 2,299 candidates competing for the support of the capital's nearly 4.6 million voters, of whom 274,636 are participating in today's special vote. In the Kurdistan Region, 85,793 security personnel are voting in Erbil Province for its 16 seats; 82,547 are voting in Sulaimani Province for its 18 seats; and 55,993 are voting in Duhok for its 12 seats.
Other key provinces like Nineveh and Kirkuk, with their diverse populations and complex political landscapes, also have significant numbers of special voters, with 106,803 in Nineveh and 61,062 in Kirkuk participating today. The successful and problem-free execution of this first phase, as confirmed by IHEC, provides a crucial foundation of confidence and stability as the nation moves towards its general election.
According to the statistics, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior has the largest number of special voters, which is 597,453 people, followed by the Ministry of Defense with 298,054 voters.
The distribution of the number of special voters by ministries and bodies is as follows:
Iraqi Ministry of Interior: 597,453 voters
Iraqi Ministry of Defense: 298,054 voters
Ministry of Peshmerga: 145,907 voters
Popular Mobilization Forces Authority: 128,127 voters
Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Interior: 124,312 voters
Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service: 18,410 voters
Border Crossing Points Authority: 1,596 voters
This article was updated on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at 09:22 AM.
