The Role of Political Parties in the Electoral Process

Another crucial observation is that party membership doesn’t appear to be the sole determinant of people’s voting behavior.This might indicate the limited impact of the party as an institution on public opinion.

Among the respondents, 61.5% expressed their intention to participate in the elections to cast their vote. However, at the level of the Kurdistan Regional Government, reasons for non participation in previous elections include distrust in elections and political parties, a sense of hopelessness for change, and young age. Interestingly, some voters cited dissatisfaction with their party’s policies as a reason for abstaining from elections.

According to the survey, the majority of voters in the Kurdistan Region make their decision about which party to vote for more than a month prior to the election day, a trend consistent with past elections. The gender breakdown reveals that 65.6% of men make their decision early, compared to 46.8% of women, suggesting that women might be less influenced by political polarization. Within different age groups, individuals in the middle age range tend to decide earlier, with the highest rate recorded in the 40-59 age group at 60.9%. Citizens over 60 years of age follow closely with 58.7%. In contrast, young people aged 18-24 are at the lower end of the spectrum with 46.8%.

According to the survey, the majority of voters in the Kurdistan Region make their decision about which party to vote for more than a month prior to the election day, a trend consistent with past elections. The gender breakdown reveals that 65.6% of men make their decision early, compared to 46.8% of women, suggesting that women might be less influenced by political polarization. Within different age groups, individuals in the middle age range tend to decide earlier, with the highest rate recorded in the 40-59 age group at 60.9%. Citizens over 60 years of age follow closely with 58.7%. In contrast, young people aged 18-24 are at the lower end of the spectrum with 46.8%.

The level of literacy doesn’t seem to significantly impact the timing of voters’ decisions, as the percentages are quite similar across groups. This trend holds true for both employed and unemployed individuals. In terms of geographic setting and housing, rural residents tend to decide on their voting choice later compared to urban dwellers. While 51.1% of rural respondents indicated they would decide a month before the election, around 59% of urban residents make their decision a month earlier.

In the broader perspective, a substantial 81.1% of Soran’s voters finalize their choice about a month before the election. Raperin comes next with 67.3%, followed by Erbil at 64.6%. An intriguing contrast emerges when observing Duhok, where only 33.7% of voters make their decision a month prior to the election.

This pattern could be attributed to a blend of factors, encompassing both the region’s social structure and its intricate interplay with electoral competition, coupled with pertinent political dynamics.

Based on the survey findings, among those who haven’t previously participated in elections, men exhibited a higher registration rate compared to women. Focusing on various age groups, young individuals aged 18-24 stood out with the most substantial enrollment rate at 52.6%. At the provincial level, Soran secured the highest registration percentage at 72.4%, followed by Zakho at 68.7%, Erbil at 58.3%, and Duhok at 52.4%. Conversely, Sulaymaniyah, Garmian, Raperin, and Halabja recorded the lowest proportions of individuals expressing a reluctance to participate, with only 20% of respondents indicating their registration for the upcoming elections.