Participation in local elections all over Iraq 51% – IHEC

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Participation in the local council elections all over Iraq reached 51 percent, according to Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Sunday. “The number of Iraqis who cast their votes all over the country reached 7.5 million,” IHEC chief Faraj al-Haydari said in a press conference he held in Baghdad, attended by IraqiNews.com news agency. Earlier on Sunday (Feb. 1), the IHEC said in a press release that it will hold a press conference in al-Rasheed hotel to be attended by the commission chief and ambassadors of Arab countries to shed light on participation in the elections and some of the initial results. Voting centers in Baghdad and other 13 provinces started at 07:00 a.m. Baghdad local time on Saturday (Jan. 31) to receive 15 million eligible voters who are electing their candidates to occupy all 440 seats in local councils amidst blanket security measures. The results are scheduled to be announced on February 4. AmR (P)/SR 1