The electorate of Iraq went to the polls on 15 October 2005 to vote in a referendum on whether or not to ratify the proposed Iraqi constitution of 2005. After 10 days of counting votes, the country's electoral commission announced that the constitution had been approved by a wide margin nationwide. A number of critics allege massive irregularities, especially in the crucial province of Ninevah, which was widely expected to provide the third (and deciding) "no" vote. October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda - note though that referendums is more correct as referendum is the gerund of the Latin verb ad referre which therefore, formally, cannot be put into the plural) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or... This article is about the ancient Middle Eastern city of Nineveh. ...

Background and campaign

Article 61 of Iraq's Interim Constitution, in effect since 28 June 2004, laid down the rules for the approval of the proposed permanent constitution. The proposed constitution would have been approved in the referendum if both a majority of voters nationwide voted "yes" and there were no more than 2 of the country's 18 governorates where two-thirds of the voters voted "no." On 2 October 2005, the National Assembly weakened the second requirement such that it would only fail to be fulfilled if two-thirds of registered voters — rather than actual voters — in three governorates voted "no." Opponents of the Draft Constitution reacted angrily to this reinterpretation of Article 61 of the Interim Constitution. Critics had also pointed out that such an interpretation reads the term "voter" differently in both requirements; the first requirement is still simply fulfilled if a majority of actual voters nationwide votes yes. After much international criticism, the decision was reversed on 5 October. The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period is the current Iraqi constitution signed on March 8, 2004 by the Iraq Interim Governing Council. ... (Some entries on this page have been duplicated on August 1. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The current constitution of Iraq was approved by an October 15, 2005 ratification vote. ... Iraq is divided into 18 provinces or governorates, called muhafazat in Arabic (singular - muhafazah): See also List of places in Iraq External link http://www. ... October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Iraqi National Assembly is the unicameral parliament of Iraq which meets in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in Leap years). ...

The possibility of veto by supermajorities of three or more governorates was originally written into the interim constitution to ensure that the permanent constitution would be acceptable to Iraq's Kurdish minority. However, support for the constitution was weakest among Iraq's Sunni Arab community, and some observers thought that the Sunni vote would result in the constitution's rejection. While the exact ethnic distribution of the Iraqi population by governorate is unknown, because the country has not had an official census for 15 years, governorates that include substantial Sunni populations include Baghdad, Al Anbar, Salah ad Din, Ninawa and Diyala. In the event, Al Anbar, Salah ad Din, and Ninawa all saw majorities vote against ratification, though the vote in Ninawa did not result in the two-thirds "no" supermajority required to scuttle the constitution. Kurdish-inhabited areas (Kurdistan). ... There are several branches of Islam. ... The Arabs ((Arabic: عرب ʻarab) are a large ethnic group widespread in the Middle East and North Africa, originating in the Arabian Peninsula of southwest Asia. ... Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Baghdad Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and the Baghdad Province. ... Al Anbar is a province in the nation of Iraq. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... Ninawa is a governorate (province) in Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. ... Diyala is one of the constituent governorates of the nation of Iraq. ...

The Ballot

Map of the referendum

Voting took place as planned on 15 October, amidst heavy security. Initially, Iraqi election officials had hoped that results of the balloting would be made public by October 19. On 17 October, however, election officials announced that questions concerning the turnout in some provinces required that the vote be audited, which delayed release of the final figures. A sandstorm in central Iraq has also contributed to the delay. Although Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq has alleged fraud, election monitors from the United Nations said that the vote "went well." Image File history File links Iraqreferendum. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... October 17 is the 290th (in leap years the 291st) day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945. ...

On 25 October, Electoral Commission officials released the final results, which indicated that the constitution had been approved. Overall, 79 percent of voters backed the charter and 21 percent opposed it. Of 18 govenorates, only two recorded "No" votes greater than two thirds – one province short of a veto. Turnout in the referendum was 63 percent, commission officials had said previously. October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 67 days remaining. ...

With the approval of the constitution, elections for a permanent government must be held no later than 15 December 2005, with the new government assuming office no later than 31 December 2005. If the constitution had been rejected, the National Assembly would have been dissolved, and a new transitional government would have been elected to attempt to write another permanent constitution. December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During this election, security detainees held by coalition forces and the Ministry of Interior were given the opportunity to vote. This is the first time in the modern history of the Middle East that detainees of this nature were allowed to vote in any election.

Results table

Baghdad Province in the nation of Iraq includes the city of Baghdad and the surrounding metropolitan area. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... Diyala is one of the constituent governorates of the nation of Iraq. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... Basra province, or Al Basrah province, is a province in the nation of Iraq. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... Al Muthanna is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... Babil is a province in Iraq. ... Karbala province, or Al Karbala province, is a province in the nation of Iraq. ... Najaf province, or An Najaf province, is a province in the nation of Iraq. ... Al Anbar is a province in the nation of Iraq. ... Ninawa is a governorate (province) in Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Iraq ... The Kurdish Autonomous Region (Başûrê Kurdistanê in Kurdish) is a political entity established in 1970 following the agreement of an Autonomy Accord between the government of Iraq and leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish community. ... ArbÄ«l (أربيل, also transliterated as Irbil or Erbil) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... Official languages: Kurdish and Arabic Capital: Erbil Prime Minister: Nechervan Idris Barzani Area about 80 000 km² Population  - Total (2005):  - Density: perhaps 5,750,000 40/km² Currency: Iraqi dinar Time zone: UTC+3 National anthem: Ey Reqîb The Kurdish Autonomous Region is a political entity established in 1970 following... At Tamim is a province of the nation of Iraq. ... The Kurdish Autonomous Region (Başûrê Kurdistanê in Kurdish) is a political entity established in 1970 following the agreement of an Autonomy Accord between the government of Iraq and leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish community. ... As SulaymānÄ«yah province is a province of Iraq, within the Kurdish Autonomous Region. ... The Kurdish Autonomous Region (Başûrê Kurdistanê in Kurdish) is a political entity established in 1970 following the agreement of an Autonomy Accord between the government of Iraq and leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish community. ...

See also

Wikinews has multiple news articles relating to this article::

• Iraq ballots to be audited due to voting "anomalies"
• Iraq counting ballots

• Proposed Iraqi constitution

Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... The current constitution of Iraq was approved by an October 15, 2005 ratification vote. ...

External links

• Iraq's Sunnis Register to Vote in Droves (Washington Post, 8 September 2005)
• UN condemns Iraq charter change (BBC News, 4 October 2005)
• Iraqis vote on new constitution; few attacks Reuters October 15, 2005
• The Iraqi Constitution: What Would Approval Really Mean? JURIST
• Iraq Charter Seems Assured of Approval Associated Press October 16, 2005
• Iraq result delay over fraud fear BBC October 17, 2005
• Draft Constitution Adopted by Iraqi Voters AP October 25, 2005
• Iraqi Constitution Approved by 79 Percent of Voters Bloomberg October 25, 2005
• Vea, Matt: Iraq Referendum - First hand photo article of Baghdad on election day