Iraqi elections begin with strict measurements to prevent fraud
In a first of its kind, Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission is excluding candidates from the early elections due to electoral campaign and law violations, raising expectations the elections will be different this time.
BAGHDAD — Approximately 1.2 million Iraqi security forces kicked off voting today in Iraq's early elections. The rest of Iraq's eligible voters will go to the polls on Oct. 10. At today's end, over 40% of eligible voters have gone to the polls.
Iraqi Prime Minister and commander-in-chief of Iraq's armed forces Mustafa al-Kadhimi visited the Joint Operations Command in the early morning for a meeting with the Supreme Security Committee to discuss election security.
Addressing the committee, Kadhimi said, “You are entrusted with protecting the electoral process, and I will follow up with you on the smallest details regarding the conduct of the elections.”
In the lead-up to these general elections, Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission announced the exclusion of a group of candidates from the parliamentary elections due to complaints it received from citizens, competitors and judicial authorities.
This step showed an unprecedented seriousness in implementing electoral laws and decisions.
