(Iraqi Governorate Councils’ Elections … Obstacles and Solutions) A Panel Discussion at Al-Baidar Center for Studies and Planning

Al-Baidar Center for Studies and Planning held a dialogue session under the title (Iraqi Governorate Councils’ Elections … Obstacles and Solutions). The center hosted a group of experts and specialists in Iraqi electoral affairs. The attendees discussed the previous election laws and the ideas put forward to amend the election law, as well as the most important obstacles to the electoral process for the upcoming Governorate Councils’ Elections, with several proposals and possible solutions put forward, by drawing on previous experiences in Iraq and from the experiences of other countries, especially neighboring countries. Participants in the session also presented the main problems facing the elections in general and the Iraqi governorate councils’ elections in particular, such as the voter register, the boycott, the biometric card, electronic registration, and the issue of counting and sorting. The participants also emphasized a central point represented by the importance of activating the role of the media, public and private organizations, and institutions in electoral awareness and education, the responsibility of participation, and the right choice, so that the elections are a pillar in the process of building and changing for the better.