The Iraqi election seems to have been a major success in regard to voter turnout and the peacefull atmosphere in which the voting took place, and even here in Perth - the most isolated city in the world we had our own little voting centre.

There were 4 polling booths on site at Curtin University (of which I proudly announce I am a student!), and the counting of the votes finished today at roughly 12:30pm.

The turnout was not quite as high as expected in Perth but still managed a sizeable 972 votes out of up to 1800 eligble (no exact figure).

I met some very nice people but was at first escorted off the premises by a security guard while the counting was going on, but I soon found an official who invited me in not long after it finished.

The men were all very interested and keen to know why I cared, and I enjoyed the audience and letting them know I was informed.

When I asked what the results were and could recite who was the front-runner for each group and what the groups name/initials were, everyone was highly impressed. Turns out the security guard had just finished a politics degree as well and said he didn't know anyone nearly as motivated or interested in it as myself.

I love when I hear things like that, because it makes the long sometimes tedious hours of reading all worth while. I can make a difference. I am making a difference. Those people felt even better when I came along, that is a difference in itself.

Maybe I will get a story about Iraq's election actually to make it into WA's media, I will write a journalistic "inverted pyramid" style report after I finish this, the more important piece for my friends in the Blogosphere.

So by now you are all getting annoyed with my writing and just want the results:

so here they are.

The final results for the Iraqi elections Western Australian voting stations are:

[EXCLUSIVE TO YOU FROM OLIVE BRANCH OPTIMISM ]

United Iraqi Alliance (Sadr/Badr/SCIRI/Da'awa coaltion *the shiite bloc*): 688 votes (70.8%)

Kurdistani Gathering (PUK/KDP alliance): 120 votes (12.3%)

Iraqi National List (Allawi/secular list) 49 votes (5%)

Iraqi National Congress (Ahmed Chalabi's group) 24 votes (2.47%)

With remaining votes divided up amongst the other lists in lower percentages.

---- I do not think this will accurately resemble the final result, because Allawi's support in WA would be lower, due to his originally being the US ticket in January- I expect him to recieve closer to 20-25% of votes from inside Iraq.

I also believe that the UIA would recieve much less in Iraq itself, due to distrust amongst its own followers (would Sadr's followers still want to vote for SCIRI/Daawa?), and because their militia's have recieved a very bad name on the streets under the government elected in January.

This list though (UIA) does have a strong, wide-reaching support base- and it will be interesting to see what percentage of the votes they end up with... will they be reduced to 30% or less, or can they run away with it and get as high as 40-45 or even 50%?

only time will tell.

Check Iraq The Model and Pajamas Media for some GREAT election coverage. Well done my friends and bloggers alike! :)