“We have felt that some parties and candidates have begun campaigning for the sixth term of the Kurdistan parliament.” Jumana al-Ghalai, the IHEC spokesperson told Rudaw, adding that "parties and candidates must be aware, because violations have penalties and the penalties are severe."
The IHEC has formed committees to monitor and register any breaches.
Campaigning for the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary election is set to begin on September 16. Penalties for early campaigning, as stipulated by the IHEC, include financial fines and the potential revocation of validation for candidates, parties, and political blocs.
Nearly 2.9 million people are eligible to vote, including around 215,000 early voters. There will be 1,400 polling stations, including locations in the disputed areas and most Iraqi provinces, for eligible voters.
Early voting for security forces and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is scheduled for October 18, while the general vote will take place on October 20.
The electoral process has faced numerous challenges, with interference from Baghdad exacerbating tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s political parties, particularly between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
The Kurdistan Region last held elections in 2018. The upcoming elections were initially scheduled for 2022, but have been delayed several times.
