Peregraf – Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced that manual and electronic counting of ballots from the special voting phase of the 2025 parliamentary elections showed a complete match, affirming the accuracy and reliability of the voting process.
IHEC spokesperson Jumana Al-Ghalai told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the manual and electronic tallying of ballots has been finalized and confirmed to be identical. She added that the Commission has delivered printed result sheets for the special vote to representatives of political parties.
Al-Ghalai noted that electronic counting was completed first, followed by manual verification to ensure transparency and reinforce confidence in the outcomes.
Earlier on Sunday, the Commission confirmed that result strips from the special polling stations had been handed over to party agents.
Strong Turnout in Special Voting Phase
The special voting stage concluded on November 9, with broad participation among security forces and internally displaced persons (IDPs), ahead of the general vote on November 11.
Speaking at a press conference, Judge Omar Ahmed, Head of the IHEC Board of Commissioners, said the body had taken all necessary measures to guarantee a free and fair electoral process. He reported turnout in the special vote reached 82%, urging Iraqis to follow IHEC guidelines to ensure the success of the wider election.
Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 6:00 p.m., after which electronic devices were formally shut down nationwide.
Kurdistan Region Registers Highest Participation
According to official IHEC data, the Kurdistan Region posted the highest turnout rates in the country:
• Sulaymaniyah: 98.16%
• Erbil: 97.71%
• Duhok: 91.66%
Officials attributed the relatively lower turnout in Duhok to the high number of IDPs. Although around 26,000 displaced voters were registered there, participation among them was significantly lower compared to other groups.
According to figures shared with Peregraf by IHEC spokesperson Jumana Al-Ghalai, a total of 1,313,908 voters were eligible for special voting nationwide. Balloting took place in 809 centers comprising 4,501 polling stations.
In the Kurdistan Region specifically, 270,219 security personnel from the Ministry of Peshmerga and the Ministry of Interior were registered to vote. Across Iraq, more than one million security force members were eligible.
Additionally, 26,538 IDPs were able to cast ballots in 27 centers containing 97 polling stations designated for displaced families.
Halwest Movement Advances in Early Results
Preliminary results from the special vote suggest a notable shift among parties in the Kurdistan Region, where the Halwest Movement has emerged as the third-largest political force, trailing only the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The New Generation Movement fell behind Halwest according to early tallies.
This marks one of the most significant trends to emerge from the special vote.
General Voting on November 11
The Iraqi national parliamentary elections will fill 329 seats, with 6,896 candidates running across Iraq.
In the Kurdistan Region, 302 candidates are competing for 46 seats, including two Christian quota seats—one in Erbil and one in Duhok.
General voting for the broader electorate will take place on November 11.