As Iraq goes to the polls for local elections, the Turkmen community concentrated in northern Iraq’s Kirkuk seeks to have its first governor from their ethnic group in office.

The United Iraqi Turkmen Front hopes for a large turnout in the elections on Monday from the community. Hasan Turan, who leads the bloc and the Iraqi Turkmen Front, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday that the elections are very important for the community. Turan noted high enthusiasm among Turkmen voters during their campaign for the past two months.

Nine Turkmen parties joined forces for the joint list and Turan says Turkmen may be the majority in the provincial council. He hailed the unity of Turkmens as they joined forces under one list for the first time in two decades for local elections.

On Saturday, a special vote took place for security forces in all their branches and displaced people.

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission's data, the participation rate in the special voting exceeded 67%.

The governorate councils in Iraq serve as the legislative and supervisory authority in each province. These elected councils have the right to issue local legislation, allowing them to manage their affairs according to the principle of administrative decentralization, without conflicting with the constitution and federal laws falling under the exclusive jurisdiction of the authorities. The electoral term for the governorate councils is four years.

The Iraqi Turkmen, also known as Iraqi Turks, are a Turkic-speaking minority whose total population is estimated at some 3 million.