The commission’s six-point plan, announced on Saturday evening just hours before polls are due to open, follows allegations of widespread fraud during the May 12 Iraqi parliamentary election.
The commission insists voters must bring their national ID card or their passport in order to cast their ballot.
“Now that a few hours are left for an important process to take place in the Kurdistan Region, which is the KRG parliamentary election, it is circulating across many media outlets and social media that there is a possibility of fraud. Thus, for the purpose of encouraging people to vote, we are imposing a set of important decisions,” Sherwan Zrar, the commission’s spokesperson, told a press conference in Erbil.
“First, the voters must carry Civil Statue ID and Iraqi Citizenship together, then they will be allowed to vote, but for national ID or passport holders, they can bring either of them,” Zrar said.
“Second, political party observers have the rights to audit the documents voters carry and, in case of doubts, they can photograph them.”
“Third, military people are prohibited from entering the polling stations. If they are caught going, without any complaints, we will refuse all the votes in the ballot box and they will not be counted.”
“Fourth, if proven that someone had cast a ballot in the early voting date and voted on September 30 again, the votes in that ballot box will be annulled.”
“Fifth, the approval of the election results must be made by two thirds of the commissioner’s council.”
“Sixth, commission employees on the ballot boxes have to check the fingers of voters to make sure no abnormal objects are used by the voters before inking their fingers. If caught, they will not be allowed to vote,” Zrar added.
Soon after the commission announcement, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held its own press conference rejecting the measures.
A PUK spokesperson said the measures violate the commission’s own rules and regulations. He warned the requirement to bring identity papers had been issued too late and may deprive voters of their rights.
The party said no time had been allowed for opponents to appeal the measures. The decision could result in lawsuits against the commission, he added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was due to hold elections in 2017, but they were deferred as a result of the Region’s independence referendum.
Voters will have the opportunity to pass judgment on the government’s record following five turbulent years, which saw a budget crisis, the war with ISIS, and the referendum, which led to the loss of territory when Iraqi forces took over Kirkuk and other disputed areas in October last year.
It also takes place against the backdrop of government formation talks in Baghdad, where Kurdish parties hope to bolster their position and increase their influence.
Peshmerga and other security forces cast their ballots early on September 28. Turnout was high across the Region, according to official figures released by the election commission: Erbil 92 percent, Sulaimani 89 percent, Duhok 93 percent, and Halabja 93 percent.
Critics say the KRG has disenfranchised health workers and prison inmates, after their respective ministries failed to register these groups by the election commission deadline.
Kurds living in diaspora will also be denied a chance to vote because the commission lacked the funds to establish polling stations abroad.
Several parties have voiced concerns about the freedom and fairness of the election after irregularities in Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary election led to a partial manual recount of ballots.
The election commission insists it has taken measures to clean the election register of repeated names and deceased voters, and has decided not to use electronic voting machines, which critics claim are vulnerable to tampering.
Controversially, the commission also plans to photograph voters and their documents on arrival at polling stations to prevent repeat voting.
International observers, including officials from several foreign consulates, will visit polling stations through the day to monitor proceedings.
Last updated 11.07 p.m.
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