“The election campaign concluded this week. Rallies by political parties and candidates were overall peaceful. This is the true spirit of a democratic process. We encourage the nearly 3 million eligible voters in this part of Iraq, namely in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja, to go out and vote,” Hassan said in an English video message with Kurdish subtitles.
Early voting for security forces began on Friday morning, and the general vote will take place on Sunday.
“We cannot reiterate enough the importance of exercising this right, for which so many fellow citizens have paid a heavy price to ensure it is safeguarded for generations to come,” he said.
This week, the UNAMI chief toured Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) offices across the Kurdistan Region and met with high-level officials including President Nechirvan Barzani and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.
“The Kurdistan region today is a different region from what it was decades ago. I was very impressed by the development and the progress that I have witnessed so far,” Hassan said.
There are 1,191 candidates vying for the 100-seat Kurdistan parliament - 823 men and 368 women - including 38 candidates for five minority quota seats. There will be 1,400 polling centers, including locations in the disputed areas and most Iraqi provinces, for eligible voters.
“The election campaign concluded this week,” he added. “Rallies by political parties and candidates were overall peaceful. This is the true spirit of a democratic process.”
While UNAMI does not have an official role in monitoring the election, it has provided technical advice and expertise to the IHEC. For the first time, the Kurdistan Region is holding the parliamentary elections with electronic voting machines; although, the IHEC has printed and distributed 3 million paper ballots to the polling stations.
Hassan noted that the “IHEC has put in place measures and mechanisms to address complaints and any potential problems..”
There are an estimated 6.3 million residents in the Kurdistan Region, with nearly 3.7 million eligible to vote, according to data from the Kurdistan Region’s statistics board.
“Make your voice heard and your opinions count,” said the UNAMI leader who arrived in Baghdad to assume the post last week.
The Kurdistan Region last held a parliamentary election in 2018. Disagreements with Baghdad and between the two ruling parties led to the date being repeatedly delayed. In June, President Barazani set the eventual date of October 20.
“I am certain many challenges might remain, however, Kurdistan is on the right path towards a better future. Now it is the opportunity to mark that path,” Hassan said.
The election is being monitored by nearly 2,000 members of international missions and civil organizations.
