Peregraf - The special voting process for Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections began today, allowing security forces and displaced persons to cast their ballots ahead of the general vote scheduled for November 11.
Polls opened at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 6:00 p.m. across the country.
According to figures obtained by Peregraf from IHEC spokesperson Jumana Ghalay, 1,313,908 Iraqis are eligible to participate in today’s special voting phase. Voters are casting their ballots at 809 centers containing 4,501 polling stations.
In the Kurdistan Region, 270,219 members of the security forces from the Ministry of Peshmerga and the Ministry of Interior are eligible to vote. Nationwide, more than one million security personnel are expected to participate.
In addition, ballot boxes opened today for 26,538 internally displaced persons (IDPs), with 27 designated centers and 97 polling stations set up to facilitate their participation.
This election will determine the makeup of Iraq’s 329-seat parliament, with 6,896 candidates competing for seats. Of those, 302 candidates are from the Kurdistan Region. The three provinces of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Dohuk collectively hold 46 seats, including two quota seats for Christians—one in Erbil and one in Dohuk.
More than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote in the upcoming general elections.