Iraq enters electoral silence ahead of special voting

Shafaq News – Baghdad (Updated at 19: 52)

Iraq entered a 24-hour electoral silence period on Saturday, as campaigning officially came to a halt ahead of the special voting scheduled for Sunday, November 9.

The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) confirmed that all forms of political campaigning, advertisements, and social media promotion are now prohibited until the conclusion of voting. The silence applies nationwide, including the Kurdistan Region, and more than 1.3 million Iraqis from the security, defense, and service sectors, along with internally displaced persons (IDPs), are eligible to vote.

Under IHEC regulations, electoral silence ensures voters can make their decisions free from campaign influence or pressure. Violations, including continued online promotion or distribution of campaign materials, may result in fines or legal action.

Iraq has 21,404,291 registered biometric voters, including 20,063,773 set to take part in the November 11 general elections and 1,340,518 in the special vote, which covers members of the armed forces, internal security, and other eligible groups, including 26,538 internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The High Security Committee said nationwide forces remain on high alert to protect polling centers and prevent security incidents during the two-stage voting process.

Read more: Iraq’s voter turnout: From post-war enthusiasm to political fatigue