IHEC: Unprecedented voter turnout in provincial elections

BAGHDAD, December 16 –  Spokesperson for the IHEC, Jumana Al-Ghalai, announced on Saturday that the special voting turnout across provinces has reached an unprecedented rate, varying between 70-80%.

Speaking to the state news agency, Al-Ghalai stated, “The participation rates in the special voting in the provinces are unparalleled in any electoral process, ranging from 70-80%.”

She added that the special voting devices were highly effective, with no malfunctions reported. “So far, no discrepancies have been recorded between the initial electronic sorting and the subsequent manual process, leading to the matching of results,” Al-Ghalai explained.

Regarding the handling of ballot papers, Al-Ghalai clarified, “The ballots are placed in secure and encrypted bags, then transferred to the National Center. They are not destroyed. The memory sticks containing the results are transported by land or air, depending on the proximity of the voting centers to the Commission’s offices in the provinces, and then to the National Center of the Commission in Baghdad.”