Erbil Election Office seminar highlights “distinct procedures” for Kurdistan parliamentary elections

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Erbil Election Office conducted an educational seminar for candidates representing political entities, components, and independents in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region (KRI).

At a press conference, the office Chief, Marwan Mohammed, stated, “The office organized this seminar in collaboration with the International Organization for Human Rights and Refugee Affairs (IOHR) to inform candidates about the highly transparent procedures of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), including how to file complaints and the roles of political representatives on election day.”

He added, “The details of the voting mechanism on election day, including procedures and equipment, were clearly explained and discussed in depth.”

“We hope the participants in this seminar will share this information with their supporters and those they aim to persuade to vote for them,” Muhammad continued, emphasizing that “the commission will enforce stringent new measures.”

“It is crucial to note that these elections feature distinct procedures, especially the combination of manual counting and sorting with electronic methods, as well as the installation of surveillance cameras in polling centers and stations,” he explained.

The Erbil Election Office Chief clarified that “voting is limited to individuals holding biometric cards. These issues have been explained to assure political entities, candidates, media, and civil society or international organizations that these are the procedures followed by the Commission.”

Back in June, President Nechirvan Barzani issued a Regional decree setting October 20, 2024, as the official date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

In a televised speech, the president urged for a "civilized" election process, stressing “the need to combat hatred and respect women's status.”

The October vote is expected to elect 100 new lawmakers representing the governorates of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil (34 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), Halabja (three seats), Al-Sulaymaniyah (38 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), and Duhok (25 seats, including one for Christians).