Over 215,000 members of the security forces were eligible to cast a ballot on Friday, two days ahead of the general vote. As of midday, turnout was 70 percent, according to Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).
Voting took place at 165 polling centers across the country - 153 in the Kurdistan Region and 12 in southern and central Iraq.
Dozens of violations were recorded, according to Hogr Chato, head of the Shams network for monitoring elections. Violations such as the disclosure of voter choices, coercion, vote forging, and attempts by polling center employees to influence votes could incur punishment, including imprisonment.
The IHEC began counting votes inside the polling stations immediately after voting ended. Preliminary results will be released a day after the general vote.
