Polls close in Iraq as vote counting begins nationwide

BAGHDAD — Polling stations across Iraq closed Tuesday evening as voting machines automatically shut down at 6 p.m., marking the end of balloting in the 2025 parliamentary elections.

The Independent High Electoral Commission said electronic devices stopped simultaneously in all polling centers, and election staff immediately began both manual and electronic counting to verify results.

Deputy spokesperson Nabras Abu Souda told 964media earlier that “after 6 p.m., electronic devices will shut down and results will be sent via mobile transmission to the commission’s servers.” She said, “Once transmission is completed, station staff will begin manual and electronic counting.”

Each device prints a results slip that is compared with the data stored electronically to confirm accuracy. “Counting in every station, as required by law, will be conducted both manually and electronically,” Abu Souda said.

Polling stations that cannot transmit results within six hours will send their data to audit centers for verification and possible recounting, she said. Ballot boxes with confirmed results will be transported under security supervision to designated commission sites, while those with technical issues will be reviewed under direct oversight.

Abu Souda said more than 8,700 polling centers and 39,000 individual stations opened nationwide at 7 a.m., staffed by 235,000 election workers. More than 20 million Iraqis were eligible to vote.

Earlier in the day, the commission reported 23.9% turnout by midday, with about 4.8 million votes cast. Final turnout will be announced once all counts are verified.

The commission said manual and electronic counts are expected to align, consistent with Sunday’s special voting, which recorded an 82.52% turnout among security personnel and displaced persons.