Iran’s Elections: Facts, Tweets & Images

February 24, 2016
Cameron Glenn
 
On February 26, Iranians will go to the polls to vote for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Parliamentary candidates are only allowed to campaign for eight days prior to the election - in this case, between February 18 and 25. The following are factoids, tweets, and images related to campaigning and election day.
 

The Campaign

  • Campaigning on social media plays a prominent role in this election since around 39 million Iranians – about half of the population – own smartphones. During the last election, only around 300,000 Iranians had smartphones.
  • The messaging app Telegram, which has around 20 million users in Iran, has been widely used to share campaign messages. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Telegram is not blocked in Iran.
  • Former President Khatami – who is banned from appearing in official media – released a video message supporting reformists on Telegram. In just one day, it was viewed by more than three million people. The Basij has also used Telegram to promote conservative candidates.
  • On February 24, Rouhani sent out mass texts urging Iranians to vote. 
  • More than 470 reporters from 29 countries will cover the elections.
  • Conservative rallies have been low-key compared to reformist ones, which have featured live music and have been well-attended by the youth. 
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    Candidates
     
    • Around 6,200 candidates are competing in parliamentary elections this year for 290 available seats, including 586 women. More than 12,000 candidates had originally registered – a 60 percent increase from the 2012 elections.
    • Hundreds were disqualified by the Guardian Council, amounting to nearly 58 percent of candidates who initially registered. Only 30 out of 3,000 reformist candidates were approved. But after an appeals process, 1,500 additional candidates were approved, lowering the disqualification rate to 49 percent.
    • The number of candidates in each district varies by population. In Tehran, 1,121 candidates are competing for 30 seats. 
    • More than 580 parliamentary candidates are women.
    • Around 800 candidates registered to run for the Assembly of Experts, but only 161 clerics were approved. They are competing for 88 seats.
    • In some provinces, Assembly of Experts seats are not even contested. The number of seats matches the number of candidates in Western Azerbaijan, Ardebil, Bushehr, northern Khorasan, Semnan, and Hormozgan. In other provinces, such as Eastern Azerbaijan and Khuzestan, 13 candidates are competing for 11 seats.
    • Voters must write the full names of all the candidates they vote for. In Tehran, for example, they can fill in up to 30 names for parliament and 16 names for the Assembly of Experts.
    • Parliamentary candidates are only allowed to campaign for one week prior to the election - in this case, between February 18 and 25. Assembly of Experts candidates can begin campaigning 15 days before election day. All campaigning must end 24 hours before the polls open.

     

    Election Rules
     
    • Around one million people will organize and run the elections, and 250,000 policemen will be on duty.
    • More than 52,000 polling stations and 120,000 ballot boxes will be set up for the elections. Mosques, schools, and state buildings function as polling centers, and men and women vote separately.
    • Representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the Guardian Council, the police, and other state institutions will be present at every polling station.
    • Iran does not yet have technology to tally votes, so ballots will be counted manually. Any software would need to be approved by the Guardian Council.
    • Around 55 million people are eligible to vote in Iran, out of a population of 80 million. Voters are not registered, and can vote in any constituency.
    • At the polling station, voters must provide their national ID card and their Shenasnameh, a document stamped in each election to prevent multiple voting.
    • Candidates can only distribute or put up six-by-eight inch posters.
    • It is illegal to destroy any candidate's campaign poster. Candidates and their supporters are not allowed to insult or slander one another.
    • Campaign workers often pass out other promotional materials, such as pins and wristbands.
    • The use of public funds for campaign purposes is prohibited. 

     

    Click here to learn more about Iran's Parliament.

    Click here to learn more about the Assembly of Experts.