Initial Report on Opening Stage

Observers of Tammuz Organization for Social Development started on Saturday, April 20, 2013 to observe of the elections of Iraqi provincial councils, through their spreading on stations in covered provinces with vote and they recorded the following notes on the opening stage at six o’clock in the morning until seven o’clock in the morning:
1. It was noted easy accessing to the polling stations by voters and its places were proper
2. It was controlled a number of electoral propagandas for political entities around a number of stations at a distance less than 100 meters. In Najaf in al-Muthana Station 1649, there are attorneys of entities in Taxi car (Aveo) carrying electoral propaganda of al-Ahrar List, and around the station the electoral propaganda at a distance less then 40 meters. In Wasit, it has transferred voters by Kia Car at a distance 50 meters to the polling stations such as Ahlul Bait Station 180211, Abu Turab Station 18020 and al-Karar Station 180202 as well as put pictures and posters on transportations and they also used horn to draw attention to that list. It also monitored the electoral propaganda near al-Muhj School in Baghdad at a near distance for these lists 401, 486, 467, 429, 444 & 517. It was also distributed the election propaganda in al-Alam region by al-Moslihon in Salah al-Din, and another propaganda in al-Thaura Station in Maysan province for al-Ahrar Bloc at a distance less than 100 meters.
3. Provide adequate protection of polling centers despite the security breaches far from stations in some areas such as fall mortars in Babil.
4. There are no attempts to prevent voters of arriving to the electoral stations, but in Resala Station in Haianiya in Basra, Um Aiman Station in Shatt al-Arab and Rafa’a Abu Khaseeb Station have returned back a number of voters because their names were just in main registry in center not in station. In Najaf there is curfew for vehicles causing difficult in accessing the observers to the electoral Center (Conditional vote) for hospitals, remote areas and outskirts.
5. Enter of voters to the polling stations was in a smooth and without obstacles in most centers except some centers, as our observers monitored in Diyala prevent voters, who hold mobile or cigarette, to enter to the al-Abara Station that oblige people to return their homes.
6. The presence of commission staffs and all main materials for polling on time in most stations.
7. It was opened the polling stations on time but there was other late between 10-40 minutes such as in al-Erada Intermediate School number 107504 where it opened at 7:20 am, and al-Muhag School number 105401opened at 7:40 am.
8. There were political entities attorneys in whole province that has been controlled, and the presence of observers of civil society organizations in most of these stations, and also presence more than 3 political entities attorneys in each polling station, and there is also different in cooperation of commission employees special in Salah al-Din. Our observers did not note international observers.
9. It was counted the polling papers in most polling stations
10. Each employee sits in his place inside the ballot station
11. The box was displayed in front of the attendees to make sure that it is free from any paper, and also has been closing the boxes in front of all.
12. In Firdoos Station in Hai Oar 108705 in Baghdad, one of security forces demanded voters to elect Law State
13. Difficult in enter of voters to the three stations under the pretext of the absence of their names as observers in Baghdad such as in al-Huda School 102605 centers, al-Guphran Primary School 100308, al-Nasreen Kindergarten 105903 and was entered to the centers after contact the Commission
14. It was opened 44 centers for displaced in al-Anbar for 2244 voters but the rate of participation was weak.

Tammuz Organization for Social Development
20th of April.2013