Shafaq News – Baghdad

Voting cards in Iraq automatically deactivate within 72 hours of use, the country’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) clarified on Tuesday, in a measure intended to prevent multiple voting and replace the traditional use of indelible blue ink.

Hassan al-Zayer, a member of the commission’s media team, told Shafaq News that the system provides an additional safeguard for election integrity, noting that “technological advances have made blue ink unnecessary.”

Al-Zayer said the removal of ink procedures has brought both “financial and practical benefits” to the commission, emphasizing that the new technical measures aim to improve the accuracy, speed, and transparency of the electoral process.

Voter turnout in Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections has exceeded 55%, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Tuesday, based on 99.7% of polling station reports.

According to IHEC data, out of 21,404,291 eligible voters, 12,003,143 participated across general and special voting categories. The general vote saw 10,898,327 ballots cast, accounting for 54% of roughly 20 million registered voters.