BAGHDAD – Members of Iraq’s security forces together with internally displaced persons (IDPs) turned out for early voting on Sunday ahead of the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections, the Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC) announced.
Polling stations opened at 04:00 GMT to accommodate the approximately 1.3 million security personnel who will be deployed on election day, in addition to over 26,000 displaced persons across multiple polling centres nationwide.
The early vote applies to those whose duties or living circumstances would prevent them from voting on the general election day scheduled for November 11, 2025.
The IHEC said that designated polling centres have been established for this special vote, including 809 separate centres for security personnel and 97 stations dedicated to IDPs, to ensure an orderly and inclusive process.
According to IHEC, the total number of eligible voters registered for the general election stands at over 21 million.
This special voting round marks a critical step in Iraq’s electoral process, as the nation seeks to ensure that essential personnel and displaced communities are not disenfranchised by the general polling mechanics.