Behind Iraq’s special vote: High turnout, higher tension
Shafaq News (Updated at 23:20)
More than 1.1 million of 1.3 million eligible Iraqis cast ballots on Sunday in special voting ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary elections, but the process was marked by thousands of violations, including vote buying, coercion, and breaches of ballot secrecy, according to monitoring groups.
The Kurdistan Region recorded a 98% turnout across Erbil, Duhok, and al-Sulaymaniyah, while participation in central and southern provinces ranged between 50% and 90%, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) and Shafaq News correspondents reported.
Observers logged 3,747 violations by mid-afternoon, while officials insisted the vote proceeded “without incident.”
The Vote
Special voting allowed security forces, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and prisoners to cast ballots early to ensure they could serve on election day. Voting ran from 7 am to 6 pm at 809 centers and 4,501 stations nationwide under biometric verification.
IHEC reported around 1.1 million voters. Deputy Joint Operations Commander Lt. Gen. Qais al-Muhammadawi called the turnout “unprecedented,” exceeding 80%, up from 69% in 2021, adding that operations were “professional and efficient,” highlighting coordination with IHEC.
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw said voting in the Kurdistan Region was “smooth and organized.” UNAMI also praised the process, with observer Hussein Marjan citing “a high level of organization and transparency” during a Basra visit.
Violations and Arrests
The Election Monitoring Networks Coalition reported widespread irregularities, including voters photographing ballots, group voting, and unauthorized persons inside polling sites. Forty-one stations were suspended, and 29 faced deliberate disruptions.
Security forces arrested multiple suspects in Baghdad, al-Anbar, and Basra for buying or promoting votes, with prices ranging from 50,000 to 250,000 dinars ($38–$190). In Basra, a police officer was caught purchasing voter cards with campaign material and cash.
Interior Ministry staff in Baghdad and PMF members in al-Anbar said superiors pressured them to back specific lists, warning of repercussions for noncompliance. In Nineveh’s Rabiaa, relatives of a PMF commander allegedly expelled monitors and directed polling staff.
Official Response
Maj. Gen. Saad Maan, head of the Security Media Cell, rejected the allegations, saying voting was “free and disciplined.” He and IHEC officials reported no breaches or disruptions, with "only four complaints received from some voting centers."
Results from the special vote remain sealed until after Tuesday’s general election. Biometric data were transferred securely to Baghdad’s IHEC facility, in coordination between federal and Regional army planes.
Preliminary nationwide results are expected within 24 hours after polls close.
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.
