Iraq’s recount of ballots from May vote doesn’t alter result

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s election commission says the result of its recount of ballots from May’s parliamentary elections doesn’t alter the overall outcome of the vote.

The commission completed earlier this week its recount from the vote which was marred by allegations of fraud and irregularities. It didn’t recount votes from eastern Baghdad because of a fire at a warehouse where ballot boxes were stored.

An election commission official, Hazem al-Rudeini, told The Associated Press on Friday that Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who gained the largest share of the vote, retained his 54 seats in the 329-seat parliament, as did Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s alliance with 42 seats.

Al-Rudeini says an Iran-backed bloc made up of Shiite militias which came in second in the results, increased its share by one seat, to 48.