Shafaq News – Babil

On Friday, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) finalized preparations for the November 11 parliamentary elections in Babil, with 95% of voter cards distributed across the province.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Amir Hussein, head of IHEC’s media office in Babil, confirmed that all 436 general polling centers and 29 special voting sites are fully equipped and staffed, with electronic systems, ballot boxes, and materials deployed in coordination with local security forces and the provincial security committee, headed by the Babil Police Chief.

According to Hussein, more than 36,000 personnel from the Defense and Interior Ministries, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and Counter-Terrorism Service are registered to cast ballots during the special vote on November 9.

The electoral silence period, he added, will begin at 7 a.m. on November 8, under Law No. 12 of 2018 (as amended), which bans political promotion 24 hours before special voting, warning that violations may result in fines or disqualification.

Babil Province, located south of Baghdad, has over 1.1 million voters—primarily Shia Arabs—and will elect 17 parliament members, including four women under the quota system.

Nationwide, 21.4 million Iraqis are eligible to vote from a population of roughly 46 million.

Read more: Iraq’s voter turnout: From post-war enthusiasm to political fatigue