Shafaq News/ Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) is fully prepared to conduct parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region, set for October 20, according to Judge Omar Ahmed, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.
In a press conference held in Erbil and attended by Shafaq News, Ahmed stated, "We have signed a contract with the German electronic certification company, programming, and auditing all electronic systems related to the upcoming elections in the Kurdistan Region." He affirmed that the commission is "confident in the system's functionality and, following the legal election period, will conduct both manual and electronic vote counting."
"The company has confirmed all devices are ready for the process."
To further guarantee transparency, the commission has taken additional steps, including manual counting alongside electronic methods, he added.
"We are fully prepared to carry out the elections on schedule, and we assure all parties that stringent measures have been implemented to guarantee transparency," Ahmed reiterated.
"We stand equidistant from all participating entities, and our measures prevent any interference that could influence the voters' will. Their votes are protected with the utmost integrity." He confirmed.
Ahmed revealed that several successful simulations, both electronic and manual, have been conducted under the supervision of UNAMI and participating entities.
In June, President Nechirvan Barzani issued a Regional decree setting October 20, 2024, as the official date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.
The October vote is expected to elect 100 new lawmakers representing the governorates of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil (34 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), Halabja (three seats), Al-Sulaymaniyah (38 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), and Duhok (25 seats, including one for Christians).
According to the Electoral Commission, a total of 1,190 candidates are running in the upcoming elections. These candidates are distributed across two coalitions, 13 parties, and include 85 independents, alongside 39 candidates representing minority groups, forming a total of 139 electoral lists.
The overall number of eligible voters amounts to 2,899,878. Of this total, 2,683,618 are registered for general voting, while 215,960 are listed for special voting.
In preparation for the election, the commission has set up 1,266 polling centers and 6,318 polling stations, with 165 centers and 749 stations designated forspecialvoting.