“Free and fair elections are a critical element in a thriving democracy because they ensure citizens have a voice in shaping their future,” the consulate said in a post on X along with a video of Consul General Steve Bitner talking about US and Kurdish elections.
“We encourage the people of the IKR to fully participate in their democratic process on October 20,” it added, referring to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The Kurdistan Region last held elections in 2018. The upcoming vote was initially scheduled for 2022, but was delayed several times due to political wrangling and legal issues.
Nearly 2.9 million people are eligible to vote, including around 215,000 early voters. There will be 1,400 polling stations, including at locations in the disputed areas and most Iraqi provinces. Voter turnout has been steadily declining in the Kurdistan Region.
Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), which is supervising the process, has yet to set a date for the election campaign to begin, but it is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Kurdistan Region President Nechrivan Barzani on Sunday urged political parties to stay away from using derogatory language in their campaigns, saying “we are all in the same boat.”
