Operating under a Security Council Resolution UNAMI advises the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) and Iraq’s political leaders to prepare for elections that are seen as credible and accepted by the Iraqi people. To this end, UNAMI’s work with the IHEC began with the development of a comprehensive capacity building program funded through the International Reconstruction Fund Facility. This program aimed to provide the IHEC with support to incorporate good international practices in administering election activities. Capacity building programs aimed to assist the IHEC with forming the operational structure needed to carry out election activities country wide and to ensure the electoral process would be include participation of Iraqi civil society including women, IDPs and minorities.

The IHEC in turn has conducted several watershed events including the conduct of two national voter registration updates in 2008 and 2009, governorate council elections in January 2009 and the Council of Representatives elections in March 2010. The voter registration updates gave eligible Iraqis an opportunity to verify the accuracy of their details in the voter list and request changes as necessary. Approximately 2.9 million Iraqis turned out for the voter registration update in 2008 and over half a million in 2009. Eligible displaced persons had the option of registering to vote in their place of origin by absentee ballot.

In addition to assisting the IHEC, UNAMI worked over the past years to build consensus within Iraq’s Council of Representatives on the governorate council election law passed unanimously on 24 September, as well as on election law and its amendments. The key issue of minority representation was subsequently addressed in the form of an amendment to the law which calls for component reserved seats in three key governorates. Iraq’s new election law provided for the first time for an open list electoral system.

In July 2009 The IHEC successfully implemented the Kurdistan parliamentary elections, and started extensive preparations for the Council of Representative elections scheduled for late 2009 – early 2010. The elections took place on 7 March 2010, with over 12 million voters turning out to cast a ballot for a political entity and a candidate of their choice. In its press statement the UN Security Council assessed the parliamentary elections as another important step in the political process aimed at strengthening Iraq’s national unity, sovereignty and independence.