IHEC and NGOs test Kurdistan elections voting process with 1,550 observers registered

Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Kurdistan Region Election Commission of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) in Erbil held a meeting with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

In a press conference, the head of the commission, Nabard Omar, said, "Today, we held a meeting with NGOs in the Region regarding the upcoming Parliamentary elections, during which we tested the voting process, explained the voting mechanism, and addressed the questions and comments from these organizations."

“1,550 people have registered as international observers, along with 13 consulates, 14 international organizations, and several local organizations," he added.

Omar clarified, "The election campaign will conclude tomorrow at midnight, which is also the final day for distributing biometric cards," adding, "112,000 cards remain uncollected by their owners."

Earlier today, Hazem Al-Rudaini, head of the Expertise Alliance for Democratic Governance said that nearly two million and 900 thousand voters will participate in the Kurdistan Parliament elections on the 20th of October.

The total number of candidates has reached 1,191, competing for 100 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament, distributed as follows: 38 seats for Al-Sulaymaniyah governorate, 34 for Erbil, 25 for Halabja, and 3 seats divided among 823 males and 368 females. The number of candidates from alliances is 123, while party candidates total 946, along with 119 independent candidates for the general seats and the Christian and Turkmen quotas.

The candidacy for the component seats is individual, with 38 candidates for the component quota seats. There are 20 individual candidates for the Turkmen two seats and 18 individual candidates for the three Christian seats.