Iraq election commission holds workshop on national ID card use in polls

BAGHDAD, Iraq — BAGHDAD — Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission held a workshop on the use of the unified national identity card in upcoming elections, the commission said. The meeting was held on August 31, 2026, at the National Office and attended by Chief of Staff Office Director Major General Abdul Amir al-Shimri. Participants included Commission President Judge Omar Ahmed, Vice President Judge Fiyaz Yaseen Hussein, Technical Committee head Judge Hussein Bahir, and other commission members. Prime Ministry advisers Ali Abdullah and Saad al-Abdali, along with Director of Civil Status and Nationality General Nashat al-Haffaj, also attended. The workshop examined the technical requirements for using the national ID card during elections. Participants discussed cooperation mechanisms and agreed that the General Directorate of Nationality and Civil Status would assign technical staff to the commission. They also reached consensus on launching a simulation process to test the card's use in electoral devices. The commission had previously established a legal and technical committee to review the use of the unified national identity card in elections.