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| Iraq election voter turnout '62%' | Iraq election voter turnout '62%' |
| (about 19 hours later) | |
| The voter turnout in Iraq's general elections was 62%, officials said, despite attacks that killed 38 people. | The voter turnout in Iraq's general elections was 62%, officials said, despite attacks that killed 38 people. |
| Preliminary results are not expected for several days but the turnout figure is down from the 75% who voted in the 2005 general elections. | Preliminary results are not expected for several days but the turnout figure is down from the 75% who voted in the 2005 general elections. |
| Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's State of Law Coalition is widely expected to win the most seats. | Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's State of Law Coalition is widely expected to win the most seats. |
| But it is unlikely one party will form a government alone and there may be months of negotiations on a coalition. | But it is unlikely one party will form a government alone and there may be months of negotiations on a coalition. |
| IRAQI GENERAL ELECTION Voting to elect 325-member parliament.About 19 million eligible voters out of 28 millionAround 6,200 candidates from 86 factions competing200,000 security personnel on duty in BaghdadKey issues: Security, services and disqualification of alleged BaathistsPrevious votes: Jan 2005 (transitional national assembly), Oct 2005 (constitution), Dec 2005 first post-invasion parliament, Feb 2009 (local elections) Guide to groups in Iraqi election Iraq: Key facts and figures Bridging Sunni-Shia divides Send us your comments | |
| Officials from the Independent High Electoral Commission estimated the turnout in Sunday's elections was 62% of the 19 million eligible voters. | Officials from the Independent High Electoral Commission estimated the turnout in Sunday's elections was 62% of the 19 million eligible voters. |
| The final official results will not be declared until the end of March, though preliminary results are expected in two or three days. | The final official results will not be declared until the end of March, though preliminary results are expected in two or three days. |
| Mr Maliki's State of Law Coalition said it had done well, especially in Baghdad and in the Shia south of Iraq. | Mr Maliki's State of Law Coalition said it had done well, especially in Baghdad and in the Shia south of Iraq. |
| Unnamed Iraqi officials told the news agency AFP that he was leading in nine of Iraq's 18 provinces. | Unnamed Iraqi officials told the news agency AFP that he was leading in nine of Iraq's 18 provinces. |
| Mr Maliki faces competition from the Shia-dominated Iraq National Alliance and the secular coalition of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. | Mr Maliki faces competition from the Shia-dominated Iraq National Alliance and the secular coalition of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. |
| An official with Mr Allawi's Iraqiya alliance said the bloc was leading in the northern and western provinces. | An official with Mr Allawi's Iraqiya alliance said the bloc was leading in the northern and western provinces. |
| Election officials gave further breakdowns of the turnout by region. | Election officials gave further breakdowns of the turnout by region. |
| FROM GLOBAL VOICES We are just tired from living in horror, we don't want to lose more people we love, this war was bloody and I just want it to end and be a bad memory in my life. I wonder if my relatives abroad will come back... Iraqis want their lives backĀ I can't wait till the day I'll wake up and open the curtains in my room and see life in my neighborhood again instead of a ghost city, I can't wait till the day that we'll remove the wood we placed over the windows... | |
| I want to hear good news about rebuilding my country... not how many people who were killed. Sunshine is an 18-year-old Iraqi blogger from the city of Mosul, who voted for the first time Read more from Iraqi bloggers on Global Voices What is this? | |
| Voter turnout was reported to be 61% in the mainly-Sunni province of Anbar, which sprawls from west of Baghdad to the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. | Voter turnout was reported to be 61% in the mainly-Sunni province of Anbar, which sprawls from west of Baghdad to the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. |
| In the northern Kurdish-controlled autonomous area of Dohuk the turnout was 80%, news agency AFP reported. | In the northern Kurdish-controlled autonomous area of Dohuk the turnout was 80%, news agency AFP reported. |
| There had been fears that Sunnis might stay away, amid feelings of widespread alienation from the political process after a widespread boycott of the 2005 elections. | There had been fears that Sunnis might stay away, amid feelings of widespread alienation from the political process after a widespread boycott of the 2005 elections. |
| Some 500 candidates, mostly Sunnis, were banned from running because of their alleged connections to the banned Baath party of former leader Saddam Hussein. | Some 500 candidates, mostly Sunnis, were banned from running because of their alleged connections to the banned Baath party of former leader Saddam Hussein. |
| Despite the attacks in Baghdad and other cities including Mosul, Fallujah, Baquba and elsewhere, the election has been hailed as a "milestone" in Iraq's history. | Despite the attacks in Baghdad and other cities including Mosul, Fallujah, Baquba and elsewhere, the election has been hailed as a "milestone" in Iraq's history. |
| Insurgents had threatened to disrupt the elections, but there were no large-scale suicide bombings as many had feared. | Insurgents had threatened to disrupt the elections, but there were no large-scale suicide bombings as many had feared. |
| The most deadly strike was on an apartment block in Baghdad which collapsed, killing 25 people. | The most deadly strike was on an apartment block in Baghdad which collapsed, killing 25 people. |
| "Today's voting makes it clear that the future of Iraq belongs to the people of Iraq," Mr Obama said. | "Today's voting makes it clear that the future of Iraq belongs to the people of Iraq," Mr Obama said. |