Shafaq News – Al-Anbar
Allegations of voter card buying and intimidation in Iraq’s Al-Anbar province are drawing attention to a persistent weakness in the country’s electoral process: the use of money, threats, and influence to shape outcomes. With parliamentary elections set for November 11, these practices risk undermining public trust in the ballot box.
Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalay said the law is explicit on such violations. “The Election Law No. 12/2018 stipulates prison terms of no less than one year for anyone who offers or promises benefits to influence a voter’s choice or prevent participation,” she told Shafaq News, adding that the law also covers those who use threats or force.
Al-Ghalay stressed that no official complaints have been filed so far, but “the voting system is fully protected, relying on encrypted codes that prevent any party, including the commission, from identifying voters’ choices.”
Read more: Iraq's struggle against electoral fraud
Despite these assurances, a member of the security forces in Al-Anbar described a different reality. “I was asked to collect voter cards from ten of my relatives in exchange for promises to ease my situation at work,” he remarked to Shafaq News. “When I refused, I was threatened with transfer to a remote post or loss of authority.”
A resident of rural Al-Anbar shared a similar experience. Because of his large extended family, he said party operatives told him to bring the voter cards of his cousins and uncles, promising financial help for his family. ”When I said I could not, they warned me I would be cut off from aid and services.”
Such tactics are not new. In August, Baghdad’s Al-Karkh Investigation Court arrested a candidate accused of luring voters with promises of government jobs and social benefits. In past elections, watchdogs documented offers of cash, food baskets, household items, and even prepaid phone cards. In 2018, undeclared campaign spending was estimated at more than $250 million.
Read more: How money shapes Iraq's upcoming elections
Civil society activist Youssef al-Nadda warned that such actions strike at the core of democracy. “When the vote becomes a commodity, democracy loses its meaning,” he explained to Shafaq News, arguing that buying votes not only weakens elections but also normalizes corruption across society.
Western provinces such as Al-Anbar are particularly exposed. Economic hardship, combined with the legacy of conflict and displacement, makes communities vulnerable to both financial inducements and coercion. These conditions, observers say, provide fertile ground for political actors to manipulate voter choices.
Nearly 30 million Iraqis are eligible to vote in November. Yet repeated allegations of vote-buying, intimidation, and misuse of public resources—as documented in the 2021 elections—have already strained public confidence. Such practices risk deepening disillusionment with the political system and fueling disputes over the legitimacy of results.
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.