Iraqi officials highlight novel elections

BAGHDAD, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Voters in the Iraqi provincial elections will be assigned polling stations for the first time in an effort to eliminate fraud, election officials said Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with U.N. special envoy to Iraq Staffan de Mistura, Independent High Electoral Commission Chairman Faraj al-Haydari spoke of the unique aspects to the January elections, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq noted.

"On Jan. 31, we will see an election that for the first time will have voters allocated to specific polling stations," said Haydari.

Voter registration lists will include only one reference to each voter in their assigned polling station in an effort to reduce the incidence of fraud, he added.

IHEC officials called on the voting public to familiarize themselves with their polling station ahead of Election Day by contacting local election officers, food distribution centers or the IHEC offices.

De Mistura hailed the open-slate system unique for the 2009 election season.

"For the first time, voters will be able to choose not only a party but also a candidate from that party to represent them," the envoy said.

Iraq anticipates some 42,000 polling stations in areas of the country scheduled to vote. Voting is delayed in the northern Kurdish provinces.