IHEC says 1.3 million security personnel eligible to vote early in November elections

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission said Sunday that about 1.31 million members of the country’s security and military forces are eligible to cast ballots in special voting for the Nov. 11 parliamentary elections.

Deputy commission spokesperson Nebras Abu Souda told the state news agency the special vote will take place 48 hours before the general election. “The nature of the work of those covered by this process requires them to be available to secure the electoral process on the day of the general vote,” she said.

The group includes personnel from the Defense and Interior ministries as well as other military and security formations. They will vote in special polling centers based on their unit deployments rather than residential areas.

Abu Souda said biometric voter cards for security personnel are coded to prevent misuse. “The cards will be withdrawn immediately after voting and returned later, and they will be disabled for 72 hours after use, as a legal procedure specific to this group,” she said.

The commission also said 26,538 displaced people in camps are eligible to vote.

For Iraqis abroad, biometric cards will be required, and their ballots will be counted toward their original governorates. “The law did not go into detail about updating data for voters abroad, but the commission relies exclusively on biometric voting as the main procedure for their participation,” Abu Souda said.