Shafaq News/ Polling stations across the Kurdistan Region closed at 6 p.m. on Sunday, without any extension, as previously announced by the High Electoral Commission.

The commission had confirmed earlier that it would not extend the voting hours despite the heavy turnout witnessed in the final hours.

In a statement to Shafaq News, the commission reported that “the voting process was largely smooth, though some technical issues were encountered at certain polling centers. Several fingerprint scanners failed to read the biometric data of voters, preventing some from casting their ballots.”

Vote counting began immediately after the polls closed, with the commission expected to release preliminary results within 24 hours.