Iraq’s electoral commission sets dates for special voting and start of electoral silence

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission announced Thursday the schedule for special voting by security and military personnel and the start of the electoral silence period ahead of the November 11 parliamentary elections.

Commission spokesperson Jumana Al-Ghalai told the Iraqi News Agency that special voting will begin at 7 a.m. on Sunday, November 9, and will include personnel from the Border Ports Authority, the Federal Ministry of Interior, the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Interior, the Counter-Terrorism Service, the Ministry of Peshmerga, the Ministry of Defense, and the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Al-Ghalai said 1,313,859 voters are eligible for special voting. She added that electoral silence will take effect at 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 8.

She emphasized that “any candidate, party, or coalition that violates the electoral silence will be subject to penalties in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.”

Iraq’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 11, following the start of campaigning on October 3. According to the commission, 7,768 candidates have been approved to compete nationwide.