Iraq electoral commission announces updated referendum turnout figures News
Iraq electoral commission announces updated referendum turnout figures

[JURIST] The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) [official website] released updated voter turnout statistics for the October 15 Iraqi constitutional referendum [JURIST news archive] Friday, reporting a 63 percent turnout among the country's 15.5 million registered voters. The referendum drew a three-percent higher turnout than the Sunni-boycotted parliamentary elections in January [JURIST report]. Official referendum results are expected next week after the IECI conducts an audit to verify the "unusually high numbers" of "yes" votes [JURIST report] from certain unidentified provinces. Initial figures suggest that voters in 16 of Iraq's 18 provinces voted "yes" on the referendum, which would be enough to ensure its passage. Turnout in individual provinces ranged from 32 to 90 percent. AP has more.

12:31 PM ET – An Electoral Commission official said Saturday that thusfar the IECI had found no evidence of serious fraud in the October 15 poll, although its audit of returns was not yet complete. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.