U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller announced on Thursday that the United States plans to send official observers to ensure that the parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region scheduled for October 20 are free, fair, and transparent. 

“Elections are a vital element of the democratic process. We support all efforts to ensure they are free, fair, and transparent, and occur without further disruption or delay,” he told reporters. 

“And we commend the active participation of civil society and the media for supporting political discourse and raising awareness around issues of importance to the Kurdistan Region’s residents in the lead-up to these elections.”

Moreover, he said the United States is in close contact with Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission, as well as the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq.

He added that “staff volunteers from the U.S. mission in Iraq will participate in observing the elections at polling sites across the Kurdistan Region. That’s something we’re doing in coordination with the UN, international election experts, and other like-minded diplomatic missions.”

Read More: U.S. Consul General Urges Voters to Participate in Kurdistan Elections

On October 6, U.S. Consul General in Erbil Steve Bitner encouraged voters in the Kurdistan Region to participate in the upcoming elections through a video message in Kurdish.

“The campaign period is a vital period in the electoral process. In the United States, candidates running for office in this period inform voters of how they plan to improve their communities and better their lives,” U.S. Consul General Bitner stated.