Iraq troops vote in local polls

By Jim Muir
BBC News, Baghdad

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Iraqi troops vote in polls

Over half a million Iraqis are going to the polls in provincial elections, three days before most of the rest of the country will be voting.

The early ballots are for security forces, prisoners and hospital patients.

Stringent security measures are being prepared for the main vote on Saturday.

Thousands of candidates are competing for seats on provincial councils. Sunni factions which boycotted the last polls are taking part this time.

Attack warnings

The special early voting has been arranged for around 614,000 Iraqi police, soldiers, prisoners and hospital patients to avoid some of the complications that arose in the last provincial elections four years ago.

So this time, there will be more than 500 special voting centres around the country, where those categories of people can cast their ballots three days in advance of everyone else.

Although competition is fierce, campaigning in Baghdad itself has been generally low-key, with few big rallies, for fear of attracting attacks by bombers.

So far, there have been few incidents. But American and Iraqi military officials have warned that al-Qaeda or related insurgent groups may try to carry out attacks on polling stations during the main vote on Saturday.

Tight security measures have been announced, including the closure of borders and a halt to civilian air traffic.

The elections see more than 14,000 candidates competing for 440 seats on provincial councils which will enjoy significant regional powers.

Sunni factions and areas which boycotted the last elections are taking part this time, setting the scene for considerable adjustments on the national political level, in general elections at the end of the year.