Monitors flag delayed openings and device glitches as polling stations opened this morning

NEWSROOM – The Alliance of National Networks and Organizations for Election Observation in Iraq reported several procedural and technical irregularities Tuesday during the opening hours of polling for the 2025 parliamentary elections.

In a preliminary report, the Alliance said it deployed thousands of trained field observers across all 18 governorates to monitor the process using electronic forms to track organizational, technical, security, and behavioral indicators throughout the opening phase.

The Independent High Electoral Commission said 20,063,773 voters were eligible to cast ballots at 8,703 polling centers comprising 39,285 stations nationwide. Voting is scheduled to continue until 6 p.m., when electronic systems will close.

According to the report, 240 polling stations opened later than the scheduled 7 a.m. start time, while 133 cases involved the absence of staff members before opening.

Monitors said 181 observers were barred from entering stations during the opening phase, and 173 cases involved political party agents being denied access. In 412 polling centers, procedures were not displayed or explained to those present before voting began.

Technical malfunctions were reported in 133 cases, mainly involving voter verification devices and result transmission systems.

The Alliance said its monitoring would continue throughout election day and that a comprehensive assessment would follow once data were analyzed.

Special voting for more than 1.3 million security personnel and 26,000 displaced voters took place Sunday. The Alliance said Monday it had documented 3,273 incidents and violations during that process across all governorates, detailed in its first comprehensive report assessing the special vote.