First vote cast in Kurdistan independence referendum

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – With e-voting open for the Kurdistan diaspora on September 23, the first vote in the historic referendum has been cast in China, Karwan Jalal, general manager of data at the electoral commission told Rudaw.

Hemin Hawrami, senior assistant to President Masoud Barzani confirmed that the first vote has been cast.


Online voting for the diaspora is open from September 23 through September 25. Voters can also still register during that time after the registration period was extended and the commission dropped the ration card as a required piece of identification. 

In the Kurdistan Region and Kurdistani areas, voters will go to the polls on September 25.