Jordan Times
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Iraqi expatriates head
to polling stations
By Mohammad Ben Hussein
AMMAN Iraqi expatriates residing in the Kingdom
headed to polling stations on Tuesday to cast absentee ballots in Iraq's
parliamentary elections, amid expectations from organisers of a high voter
turnout.
Officials from the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq said they expected
tens of thousands of Iraqis to cast their ballots Tuesday through Thursday at
the 12 polling stations set up in Amman, Zarqa and Irbid.
Iraqis at one polling centre near Amman's Sports City were excited at the
opportunity to vote.
Sajida Kareem, 22, said she was voting for a free Iraq.
I miss my country being free. With Allah's grace these elections will bring
peace to Iraq.
Kareem was born in Baghdad but most of her family is now settled in Jordan.
I am voting for the people living in Iraq. Their life must change, she said.
Ali Abdul Rahman Ani, 28, said he hoped the elections would liberate Iraq from
American occupation.
I am Iraqi and I must vote for my country. I hope the winning party will drive
the Americans out of Iraq, he said, as he joined his elderly parents who had
arrived to cast their vote.
However, voter turnout during the first day of expatriate balloting appeared
low.
Supervisors at the capital's polling stations said they hoped more voters would
show up during the next two days.
Ali Awad, 35, a supervisor at the Jabal Hussein polling station, declined to
give figures but said the turnout was disappointing.
Many people do not know the whereabouts of polling stations. I think their
numbers will rise in the coming two days, he told The Jordan Times.
Eligible expatriate voters must be over 18 years, born in Iraq and hold Iraqi
citizenship.
Only around 5 per cent of the estimated 300,000 eligible Iraqi voters in Jordan
cast ballots in January for an interim assembly, Iraq's first free elections in
decades.
Organisers said they expected higher numbers this time around because more
political parties, representing a larger segment of society were participating,
but could not provide estimates.
A total of 307 political entities and 19 coalitions have registered to contest
for the 275 seats in the council, according to the commission.
Polls inside Iraq open on Dec. 15 to elect the Council of Representatives for a
four-year term, the first permanent government since the collapse of Saddam
Hussein's regime following the US-led invasion of March 2003.
Jordan is one of 15 countries allowing Iraqi expatriates to vote during three
days this week.
Other nations hosting the Iraqi absentee vote are the United States, Canada,
Australia, Britain, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey,
Iran, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.