Polls open at 8 a.m. for Kurdistan Region parliament election
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was due to hold elections in 2017, but they were deferred as a result of the Region’s independence referendum.
Voters will have the opportunity to pass judgment on the government’s record following five turbulent years, which saw a budget crisis, the war with ISIS, and the referendum, which led to the loss of territory when Iraqi forces took over Kirkuk and other disputed areas in October last year.
It also takes place against the backdrop of government formation talks in Baghdad, where Kurdish parties hope to bolster their position and increase their influence.
Peshmerga and other security forces cast their ballots early on September 28. Turnout was high across the Region, according to official figures released by the election commission: Erbil 92 percent, Sulaimani 89 percent, Duhok 93 percent, and Halabja 93 percent.
Critics say the KRG has disenfranchised health workers and prison inmates, after their respective ministries failed to register these groups by the election commission deadline.
Kurds living in diaspora will also be denied a chance to vote because the commission lacked the funds to establish polling stations abroad.
Several parties have voiced concerns about the freedom and fairness of the election after irregularities in Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary election led to a partial manual recount of ballots.
The election commission insists it has taken measures to clean the election register of repeated names and deceased voters, and has decided not to use electronic voting machines, which critics claim are vulnerable to tampering.
Controversially, the commission also plans to photograph voters and their documents on arrival at polling stations to prevent repeat voting.
International observers, including officials from several foreign consulates, will visit polling stations through the day to monitor proceedings.
Rudaw
