IHEC finalizes candidate selection for November vote

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) will close on Wednesday the window for replacing disqualified candidates as it prepares to finalize the lists for the upcoming November 11 parliamentary elections.

Imad Jamil, head of the Commission’s Media Team, confirmed to Shafaq News that campaigning will begin on October 8 and continue until a day before special voting. Around 30 million Iraqis, out of a population of 46 million, are also eligible to cast ballots.

Earlier, the Commission released updated lists reflecting recent changes to candidate eligibility. A total of 87 additional candidates were disqualified for failing to meet the good conduct standards required under the current electoral law or due to measures imposed by the Accountability and Justice Commission.

Overall, IHEC has disqualified hundreds of candidates for reasons ranging from de-Baathification measures to criminal records, corruption charges, and forged documents. Official figures further show that 627 candidates have been barred out of 7,440 applicants, including 290 under accountability and justice provisions and 106 due to criminal restrictions.

Meanwhile, the Commission reinstated 27 candidates after determining they had not violated electoral regulations.