Election workers begin counting ballots after polls closed at 6 p.m. in Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections.
Election monitors report 748 irregularities in Iraq’s vote counting and closing process
BAGHDAD — The Alliance of National Networks and Organizations for Election Observation in Iraq said Tuesday night it documented 748 irregularities during the closing and counting stages of the 2025 parliamentary elections.
The alliance, which deployed observers across all 18 constituencies, said its monitoring covered the entire election day process, including voting, counting, and result transmission. The report aimed to provide “accurate and detailed insights into the realities of the electoral process.”
According to the alliance, observers recorded 69 cases where closing procedures were not properly followed by station managers and 95 cases in which result data was not transmitted electronically. In 201 polling stations, staff were unable to print results due to technical issues.
Monitors also reported 312 instances of candidate agents or observers being present during the counting process, 47 objections to results, and 34 discrepancies between electronic and manual tallies. In 42 cases, results were not fully or transparently displayed at polling stations.
The alliance said it will continue reviewing data from its observers before releasing a final assessment of the elections.
Tuesday’s vote marked Iraq’s sixth general parliamentary election since 2003, with more than 20 million Iraqis eligible to cast ballots across 19 governorates. Polls closed automatically at 6 p.m. when voting machines shut down nationwide, and the Independent High Electoral Commission said preliminary results would be announced within 24 hours.
Earlier in the day, the commission reported 23.9% turnout by midday, following Sunday’s special voting in which more than 1.3 million security personnel and displaced voters participated.
