Iraq's historic national elections for parliament began with troubling reports that Zarqawi promised a bloody day via the Arabic media, W.A. in Baghdad reported for Pajamas Media, with one widely spread rumor that the water had been poisoned. But Sunni and Shii mosques urged people to vote, and children began playing soccer in the quiet streets of Baghdad, which is 11 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific time. One of the oldest Iraqis believed to have voted, Muhaisin Bidairy Abdullah, said to have been born in 1900, "could hardly breathe with tears visible in  his eyes," W.A. reported. A.D. in Basra reported that voters flocked to the polls amidst thick fog in that city, with turnout levels exceeding 84 percent at some polling centers and voters feeling safe enough to walk "in masses down the streets flying Iraqi flags and chanting for democracy in Iraq." I.S. in Karbala and W.Z. in Erbil in a joint report quoted an Iraqi woman at a Karbala polling place holding a tray of cream and cheese who had  squeezed her vote in during her job selling dairy products on the sidewalk.

A.S. in Najaf -- whose report was delayed while he sought internet access -- toured 10 polling centers and quoted voter Ali-Hassoon al-Badri who said "electing our representatives is a basic right for everyone and it is not a gift from anyone." N.R. in Mosul reported that as the voting deadline drew to a close, "substantial numbers of people [were] coming to the stations" to vote, while Mosul's police command volunteered to drive in voters who lived at a distance from the polls. Ninety minutes after the polls had closed, Mohammed of Iraq the Model in Baghdad reported a full summary of data, including that 600,000 observers of various kinds watched the polls to guard the process, and "countless numbers of conferences, lectures and workshops" had been held to educate and encourage people to vote.  W. Z. reported from Erbil that one polling official was so happy with the vote "I can't even feel tired."  N.R. in Mosul found that the National Accord Front was doing well because its religious appeal attracted many votes "in spite of the reservations and objections of the educated classes in Mosul." A.T. in Babil reported, humorously, that an election official refused to let Babil's governor cast his ballot "until he showed his i.d. card," and some polling places broke out soft drinks while men and women voters sang celebratory songs. And in Hilla, A.T. reported, the city council provided 125 buses to take voters to the polls.

[Previous stories on the elections are at the archives]