Najaf printers report lower demand for campaign materials as elections loom

NAJAF — Print shops in Najaf say demand for campaign materials has dropped sharply this election season as political parties increasingly handle printing in-house and focus on targeted campaigning ahead of Iraq’s Nov. 11 parliamentary elections.

Safa Al-Jubouri, director of Al-Shurooq Printing, told 964media that many candidates are ordering fewer posters compared to past elections. “Some candidates [in previous elections] used to order 1,000 pieces from local printers, but now they might only ask for 50. Their parties handle the rest through their own printing facilities,” he said.

Election posters are a pervasive feature of Iraqi campaign seasons, covering streets, buildings, and public spaces in the weeks before voters head to the polls. This year’s campaign officially began on Oct. 3.

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission, 7,768 candidates have been approved to contest the election.

Al-Jubouri said printing costs vary widely depending on materials and display locations, ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 dinars ($7 to $70) per poster. “Some candidates use their relatives or local welders to make frames and install the posters themselves,” he said, noting that overall business has declined.

He added that campaign budgets are shifting toward venues, outreach, and media efforts. “A candidate might spend only 1 million dinars ($709) on ten pieces, while another could spend 200 million dinars ($141,940), often supported by friends or family,” he said.

The electoral commission has imposed stricter campaign regulations this campaign, including bans on the use of government buildings, public funds, or sectarian and tribal rhetoric. The campaign period ends on Nov. 8.

Local activist Ali Al-Khatib said candidates should focus more on substance than saturation. “Candidates should focus on their political message and how to communicate it,” he said. “Posters won’t achieve the intended result.”

Journalist Taher Al-Assaf described three spending approaches among candidates. “The confident ones spend big. The hesitant ones spend what they’re given. The third group contributes votes to the list but uses only a few modest posters,” he said.