People of Southern Kurdistan will cast their votes at 12 thousand polling stations, 7 thousand of which are in areas under Kurdistan Regional Government and 5 thousand in “disputed territories”.

2,8 million people voted in 2013’s parliamentary elections in Southern Kurdistan but the number of voters exceeds 5 million with the inclusion of “disputed territories” in the referendum.

According to the High Election Council, more than 5 million people are eligible to vote in today’s vote. 1 million 280 thousand of these are in Sulaymaniyah and affiliated regions, 1 million 200 thousand in Hewlêr, 800 thousand in Duhok, 750 thousand in Kirkuk and 400 thousand in Mosul province and affiliated regions.

Polls have been set up in Hewlêr, Duhok, Sulaymaniyah, Halabja as well as “disputed territories” that involve Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu, Khanaqin, Jalawla, Qaratapa, Shengal, Makhmur, Hamdaniya, Shexan, Zumar and Bertileyê. Polls have been set up only in certain locations in many of the disputed regions.

The ballot paper in today’s referendum asks the people “Do you support the Kurdistan region and Kurdish settlements outside of Kurdistan region becoming an independent state?”