Officials: Iraq’s 2025 vote off to smooth start with ‘high’ turnout

BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials said Tuesday that voting was proceeding smoothly across the country with high turnout and no reported violations as polling stations remained under full surveillance and security control during the 2025 parliamentary elections.

Imad Jamil, head of the Independent High Electoral Commission’s media team, told the Iraqi News Agency that staff training on new technology had helped ensure a successful process. “Training our staff on modern devices contributed to the success of the process,” he said, adding that “turnout in rural areas and on the outskirts of cities is high.” He confirmed that “the voting machines will stop automatically at 6 p.m., and there will be no extension of voting hours.”

Jamil said 1,200 international observers were monitoring polling across the country and that cameras were recording both sound and image inside voting stations. He emphasized that “no breaches have been recorded so far during the voting process or inside polling centers.”

Government spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi told 964media that the atmosphere nationwide was “positive and smooth,” adding that “all the commission’s requirements have been met, and competition and campaigns in the streets show strong engagement with no signs of a boycott.” He said, “We hope turnout will be high enough to give the electoral process strong legitimacy and define the next political reality in Iraq.”

Al-Awadi added that the lively campaign period reflected broad public participation. “The election campaigns, competition, and banners in the streets all indicate there is no boycott or disruption. Everything is available, and the environment is very suitable,” he said.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari said all polling centers in Baghdad and other governorates were fully secured. “All polling centers are completely safe, with security forces stationed at them around the clock for four days,” he said. “There are no road closures, and traffic is moving freely. Our message to citizens in Baghdad and the governorates is to go out and vote.”

He added that “a comprehensive security plan is in place to transport ballot boxes and memory sticks after the vote, with all security commanders present in the field under the supervision of the Higher Security Committee for Elections.”

Polling opened at 7 a.m. across 19 governorates, with more than 20 million registered voters eligible to choose members of the Council of Representatives. The general vote follows Sunday’s special voting, which recorded 82.52% turnout among security forces and displaced persons.