31% voter turnout recorded by noon in Kurdistan parliamentary elections

ERBIL – The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission reported a 31% voter turnout in the 2024 Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections by midday, with voting set to continue until 6 p.m.

Turnout by province was 34% in Erbil, 29% in Sulaymaniyah, 31% in Duhok, and 33% in Halabja, according to the commission’s update. The election, divided into four constituencies, will fill 100 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament, with five seats reserved for minorities, including Christians and Turkmens from Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah.

Compared to previous elections, turnout is higher this year. In the 2018 Kurdistan parliamentary elections, turnout by noon was below 15.26%, with Duhok at 22.7%, Erbil at 16.23%, Sulaymaniyah at 9.47%, and Halabja at 23.17%. The 2021 Iraqi parliamentary elections saw similarly low participation, with turnout at 15% in the Sulaymaniyah-Halabja constituency and 18% in Erbil.

Viyan Sheikh Ali, head of the Tammuz Organization’s Observer Team, commented on the turnout. “The participation rate is moderate but not too low,” she told 964Media. “The turnout reported by 12:00 p.m. is within expected levels, and we are waiting for it to increase,” she added, noting that voter participation often rises later in the day.

Sheikh Ali cited factors like public mistrust in the electoral process and the current economic and political climate as influencing voter turnout. “Had the election been held a year earlier, turnout might have been lower. The campaign period has generated enthusiasm, which helped participation,” she explained.

Shirzad Mame, another observer from the Network for Election Monitoring, noted that turnout in some areas had reached 40%, with the perception that the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan are leading in voter support.

“We believe the majority of voters so far are supporters of the KDP and PUK, as these parties have used their influence to encourage participation,” Mame stated. He highlighted the rivalry between Masrour Barzani, deputy head of KDP, and Bafel Talabani, head of PUK, as a driving force in the election, turning it into a direct contest between the two main parties.

“The opposition hasn’t been able to generate a strong enough narrative to drive voters to the polls, unlike in previous elections where they played a more significant role,” Mame added.

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