Baghdad: The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has announced that there will be no extension of voting hours for the upcoming 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections, maintaining the official closure time at 6:00 PM.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, IHEC’s Assistant Spokesperson, Nibras Abu Souda, emphasized that all polling stations operate electronically, meaning voting machines are pre-programmed to open at 7:00 AM and close at 6:00 PM. This automated system prevents any extension of voting hours beyond the set times.

Abu Souda explained the technical process, noting that the voting devices issue several reports throughout the day, including an opening report, a midday report, and a closing report. These reports provide details about the device’s status, its contents, and the total number of voters who have cast their ballots.

Regarding the post-closure procedures, Abu Souda confirmed that results are transmitted via a data carrier. Ballot boxes that do not transmit results within the first six hours post-closing are not opened or moved, except at designated data verification centers. In such cases, special procedures are followed to verify the results.

She further clarified that if results are transmitted successfully, both manual and electronic counting and sorting occur at the polling station itself. Afterward, the ballot boxes are transferred to storage facilities managed by the Commission. Any ballot boxes experiencing issues at the polling stations are sent to counting and sorting centers for further processing, especially if discrepancies arise between manual and electronic counts.