Region | Iraq
Chaos marks Iraq vote tally
Poll officials cite out-of-country voting and increased anti-fraud checks
- AP
- Published: 00:01 March 20, 2010
- Image Credit: AP
- Iraqi journalists registering their names to get Independent High Electoral Commission CDs containing election results in Baghdad, Iraq.
Baghdad: Dozens of Iraqi journalists waited hours for results in Iraq's election. What they finally got was a single CD containing all the information and instructions to make copies themselves, prompting a mad dash to the nearest Internet cafe where they paid $1.20 (Dh4.4) each to find out who was ahead in the ballot count.
It was the latest example of the disorder in Iraq's postelection count, which has fuelled uncertainty and allegations of fraud. Questions about the vote's validity could undermine US ambitions to set a standard for democracy in the Middle East.
Preliminary results from Iraq's 18 provinces have trickled out daily. Generally they are released on TV screens for reporters to write down, although recently they've been handed out on CDs.
The piecemeal tallying is in stark contrast to the December 2005 parliamentary elections and last year's provincial vote, when results came in a more orderly fashion with a steady stream of updates.
The Independent High Electoral Commission said out-of-country voting, increased anti-fraud checks and a more complex ballot made the process more difficult.
International observers have lauded Iraqi officials for their overall performance but some have said little attention was paid to how much time the count would actually take.
There has also been conflicting information about when results would be released, if released at all.
One day, results were posted only to be pulled back minutes later and described as "errors." When pressed why the results were taking so long, a commission official began to respond, only to break off to take a call on his cell phone from his mother.
So far, Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's coalition is leading in the tight race, with 89 per cent of the ballots counted.
Claims of fraud ‘baseless'
Iraq's electoral commission yesterday rejected as "baseless" claims of fraud and ballot-rigging made by a leading member of the European Parliament.
At the same time, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said it was "fully prepared to study any evidence provided in this regard, and to take action in accordance with the electoral law and regulations."
The IEHC's statement followed comments made this week by Struan Stevenson, a lawmaker who acts as the head of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq.
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