'We won't leave until we can vote'

Some voters face technical issues for Kurdistan Region parliamentary election

ERBIL — Voters across the Kurdistan Region headed to the polls today for the region’s sixth parliamentary election. While the process largely proceeded without major disruptions, minor issues and violations were reported at several polling stations.

In Sulaymaniyah, 18-year-old first-time voter China Mohammed expressed her excitement after casting her ballot. “I’ve been eagerly waiting for this day,” she said, adding that the voting process was smooth. “I cast my vote quickly and without any problems.”

Meanwhile, in Erbil, elderly voter Hosna Ahmed Ibrahim, who has limited mobility, arrived at a polling station with the help of her family. Despite her advanced age, she was able to vote without difficulty. “She encountered no issues,” a relative told 964media.

However, some polling stations experienced technical difficulties. In several locations, the biometric systems used to verify voter IDs malfunctioned. The Independent High Electoral Commission reported that a 5% quota of total voters are able to cast ballots without using their biometric cards due to these issues. Observers from 964Media indicated that this figure may have been exceeded at some polling stations, leaving some whose fingerprints cannot be read by the machines without a vote.

In Soran, Erbil, a family of seven encountered another obstacle when the chips in their voter cards failed to function. “We won’t leave until we can vote,” the family told 964Media, determined to cast their ballots despite the technical setbacks.

By midday, the Network for Election Monitoring, in collaboration with 964media, documented 430 violations across the region. These included 87 instances of election campaigning near polling stations, 266 cases of security forces inside voting centers, 11 instances of political parties obstructing observers, and 66 reports of delays in allowing voters to cast their ballots. Despite these issues, no significant attempts to block voters from exercising their rights were reported.

One uplifting story came from Rahman Ahmed, a 49-year-old blind voter, who cast his ballot early in the morning at a polling station in Erbil’s Kasnazan district. “I’m very happy that I was able to cast my vote today,” Rahman said, expressing hope that voters would support candidates who would advocate for the disabled community. “The commission staff were very helpful, and I had no issues. I hope everyone comes out and votes.”

IHEC officials emphasized the measures in place to protect the integrity of the election. After casting their vote, voters’ biometric cards are deactivated for 72 hours to prevent duplicate voting. Additionally, all polling equipment is programmed to automatically deactivate at 6 p.m. when voting concludes.

International monitors are also closely observing the election. A total of 31 consulates and foreign organizations are overseeing the process, according to the KRG Coordinator for International Advocacy. Sixteen consulates and 15 international organizations have deployed 1,830 observers, while 109 journalists from 22 international media outlets are covering the elections. Furthermore, 53 political entities, 98 local organizations, 43,139 agents, and 9,610 domestic monitors are participating, alongside coverage from 48 local media agencies.