Iraq election turnout 62%, officials say

he voter turnout in Iraq's general elections was 62%, officials said, despite attacks that killed 38 people. Preliminary results are not expected for several days but the turnout figure is down from the 75% who voted in the 2005 general elections. Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's State of Law Coalition is widely expected to win the most seats. But it is unlikely one party will form a government alone and there may be months of negotiations on a coalition. Officials from the Independent High Electoral Commission estimated the turnout in Sunday's elections was 62% of the 19 million eligible voters. The final official results will not be declared until the end of March, though preliminary results are expected in two or three days. Mr Maliki's State of Law Coalition said it had done well, especially in Baghdad and in the Shia south of Iraq.