After Successful Special Vote, All Eyes Turn to Iraq’s Pivotal General Election

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – With an impressive 82.42% turnout and a process hailed by officials and voters alike as secure, transparent, and democratic, Iraq's special voting for its sixth parliamentary session has successfully concluded, setting a dramatic and high-stakes precedent as all eyes now turn to the critical general elections on Tuesday.

The smooth execution of this first electoral phase, which saw over 1.3 million members of the nation’s security forces and its displaced population cast their ballots, has generated a powerful wave of momentum, raising both hopes and expectations for a historic day of national decision-making on November 11.

The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC) announced the remarkable participation rate on Sunday evening, a figure that signals a deep engagement from the very communities tasked with protecting the state and those who have suffered most from its past instability.

In a statement following the close of polls, Omar Ahmed, the chairman of the Board of Commissioners, confirmed the 82.42% turnout and issued a call for national unity around the democratic process, urging all parties to cooperate to make the entire election a success.

The successful and high-turnout special vote now serves as a crucial foundation of confidence and a benchmark for the broader electorate, as the nation prepares for the main event that will shape its political landscape for years to come.

Polling stations across all of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region opened their doors promptly at seven in the morning on Sunday, welcoming a steady stream of uniformed personnel and displaced citizens.

The logistical operation was a massive undertaking, designed to accommodate one million, 313 thousand, and 980 members of the security forces and 26 thousand, 538 displaced people who are eligible to vote. The process continued uninterrupted for eleven hours, concluding precisely at six in the evening.

The sentiment on the ground, captured in interviews by Kurdistan24, reflected a profound sense of satisfaction with the electoral environment and a deep-seated hope for a better future.

This feeling was powerfully articulated by participants like Ahmed Jassim, a member of the security forces who spoke to Kurdistan24 after casting his ballot. His testimony spoke not only to the outcome but to the integrity of the process itself.

"We voted in a very democratic way and without any pressure, and we chose who we wanted," he stated, his words serving as a crucial endorsement of the electoral conditions fostered by the commission. His final remark, "and we hope the situation will be better," encapsulated the profound hope that this democratic exercise will translate into tangible improvements in the nation’s governance and stability.

For the displaced community, many of whom have endured years of uncertainty and hardship, the vote represented a rare opportunity to make their voices heard and demand change.

Ismail Hussein, a displaced person who has been residing in the Kurdistan Region for a decade, shared his perspective with Kurdistan24.

"We have been displaced and now have been living in the Kurdistan Region for ten years, and we have cast our votes," he said, before laying out the clear and urgent demands of his community. "We demand that the new Iraqi government provide job opportunities and improve our living conditions." 

His statement was a poignant reminder of the immense human stakes of the election, a plea for a new government that will prioritize the needs of its most vulnerable citizens and finally deliver on the promise of a dignified life.

Ensuring the security and integrity of this vital democratic process was a paramount concern, and officials confirmed that a comprehensive and multi-layered security plan was executed flawlessly. A higher security committee was formed specifically to protect the election, placing all security forces in a state of full readiness throughout the day.

Qais Muhammadawi, the head of this security committee, detailed the meticulous procedures in place to safeguard the results and prevent any possibility of tampering. "After the end of the process, the memory of the devices will be transferred from the centers in a protected manner to the commission's offices in the provinces," he explained.

From there, the data’s journey to the capital was handled with the utmost security. "Then they will be sent to the national center in Baghdad with a special force and in an encrypted manner," Muhammadawi confirmed, describing a process designed to build and maintain public trust in the final outcome.

In a further move to ensure transparency and prevent any premature speculation or political maneuvering, the Independent High Electoral Commission confirmed that the results of Sunday's special vote will not be announced separately.

Instead, they will be fully integrated with the results of the general voting on Tuesday. The commission has committed to announcing the final, comprehensive results for the entire election within 24 hours after the close of the general polls, a timeline that promises both speed and accuracy.

In another interesting development, the Iraqi Federal Police Intelligence announced on Monday that they seized a vehicle in Baghdad that contained a large number of voter cards.

In a statement from the Federal Intelligence and Investigations, it was stated that the detachments of the Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency in Baghdad seized a vehicle containing a large number of election voter cards and the suspects were arrested.

It was also indicated that during the investigation, the suspects confessed that they intended to use those cards illegally.

On the other hand, the National Security in Basra province arrested a policeman in front of a polling station with an amount of money and a campaign card of one of the candidates, who was trying to buy the votes of voters. Also in Baghdad and Anbar, a number of people were arrested on charges of buying the votes of voters.

Regardless of these incidents, political observers argue that the successful execution of the special vote has effectively set the stage for Tuesday's main event, transforming it from a mere logistical prelude into a powerful symbol of Iraq's capacity to conduct a secure, fair, and credible election. The high turnout among the security forces and the displaced sends a strong message to the general populace about the importance of participation.

The voices of individuals like Ahmed Jassim and Ismail Hussein now resonate across the country, a dual call for a continued democratic process and for a government that is responsive to the urgent needs of its people.

As the ballot boxes are secured and the encrypted data makes its way to Baghdad, all of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region now wait, with a renewed sense of hope and anticipation, for the historic day of November 11.