Duhok Leads Iraq in New Biometric Voter Registrations Despite Elections Being Three Years Away

23-06-2026 02:47

Peregraf — Duhok province has recorded the highest number of first-time biometric voter registrations in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, according to the latest figures released by Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), highlighting strong voter engagement despite the country's most recent parliamentary elections having been held less than a year ago.

Statistics published through June 22 show that Duhok registered 6,536 first-time biometric voters, the highest figure among all Iraqi provinces.

The figures are particularly notable because Iraq's parliamentary elections were held on Nov. 11, 2025, less than a year ago, while the next parliamentary elections are not expected for another three years. Despite the long interval before the next vote, residents of Duhok appear eager to register and participate in the electoral process.

Duhok's total voter population now stands at 969,139, including 785,714 voters who have completed biometric registration following the latest update.

Duhok Tops Iraq in New Registrations

Among Iraq's provinces, Duhok recorded the largest number of new biometric registrations during the latest update period.

The province was followed by Nineveh with 5,749 first-time registrations and Basra with 4,538.

Within the Kurdistan Region, Erbil recorded 3,308 new biometric registrations, while Sulaymaniyah registered 1,841.

The figures suggest a particularly strong level of voter participation and engagement in Duhok compared with other parts of Iraq.

Nearly 9 Million Voters Still Need Biometric Registration

Nationwide, Iraq has 30.38 million eligible voters.

According to IHEC, 21.46 million voters have completed biometric registration, while approximately 8.96 million voters remain registered under older voter records without biometric data.

Election officials continue to encourage citizens to update their information, describing biometric registration as a key safeguard against electoral fraud and duplicate voting.

More Than One Million New Voters Eligible

The data also show that 1.12 million Iraqis born in 2008 have become eligible to vote for the first time.

Nineveh recorded 124,584 newly eligible voters, while Baghdad-Rusafa registered 135,665 and Baghdad-Karkh 102,638.

In the Kurdistan Region, Erbil recorded 43,598 newly eligible voters, Sulaymaniyah 40,414, and Duhok 30,837.

Kurdistan Region Figures

The latest figures show:

  • Sulaymaniyah: 1,572,893 voters, including 1,203,879 biometric registrations.

  • Erbil: 1,453,568 voters, including 1,091,755 biometric registrations.

  • Duhok: 969,139 voters, including 785,714 biometric registrations.

While Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have larger overall voter populations, Duhok has emerged as the most active province in Iraq for first-time biometric voter registration.

IHEC is expected to continue voter registration and data update campaigns in the coming months as it prepares the electoral database for future national and regional elections.