IHEC: All Major Election Preparations Complete, Ballot Papers Underway

Iraq 01:28 PM - 2025-09-05

IHEC's logo.

Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced the completion of all major activities related to the 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections, confirming that the remaining steps are logistical, most notably the printing of ballot papers and biometric cards.

Number of Biometric Cards

IHEC spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai told PUKMEDIA that the Commission continues to print biometric cards for voters who registered their data in 2024 and for those who updated their details during the 2025 voter registry update phase.

She explained that the total number of biometric cards has now reached 3,584,829, which will be distributed to voters during September 2025 through 1,079 registration centres across all governorates.

Deployment Plan Approved

Ghalai confirmed that the IHEC Board of Commissioners has approved the final deployment plan for the general polling centres and stations for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

She said: “The number of polling centres has reached 8,703, while the number of polling stations totals 39,285 across all governorates. Each station will accommodate 550 voters, with the overall number of eligible voters exceeding 20 million.”

Cards to Arrive by the End of September

Nibras Abu Souda, IHEC Deputy Spokesperson, told the Iraqi News Agency that all principal activities have been finalised, with only technical and logistical matters remaining — including the printing of ballot papers, biometric cards, and other sensitive and non-sensitive materials.

She noted that the biometric cards will arrive in two batches by mid-September to undergo checks before being distributed to governorates. Ballot papers, tailored to each governorate, have already been designed and finalised. A manual draw will be conducted to determine the order of candidates, parties, and alliances, with each list assigned specific numbers for use on the ballots.

Two Voting Models

Abu Souda confirmed that voting will proceed under two models: one for special voting and the other for general voting. She stated that the general voting models for each governorate have been prepared and will be delivered on schedule.

She stressed that election monitoring will be open to both local and international observers, with no limit on numbers, provided they meet the established criteria. Registration forms will be released according to the official timetable.

Announcement of Results

Abu Souda added that the Commission will announce preliminary results within 24 hours of polls closing. These will later be audited, subject to appeals, and final results will be declared once all legal procedures are complete.

She also underlined that the electronic voting devices have undergone multiple maintenance checks and simulation tests. Backup devices will be allocated to polling stations, supported by specialised personnel, to ensure smooth operations throughout the process.



PUKMEDIA