banned from streets due to heavy security. Attacks against polling stations were reported in Bagdad, with low casualties. Initially, Iraqi election officials had hoped that results of the balloting would be made public by 19 October. On 17 October, however, election officials announced that questions concerning the turnout in some provinces required that the vote be audited, which delayed release of the final figures. A sandstorm in central Iraq has also contributed to the delay. Although Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq has alleged fraud, election monitors from the United Nations said that the vote "went well." On 25 October, Electoral Commission officials released the final results, which indicated that the constitution had been approved. Overall, 79% of voters backed the charter and 21% opposed it. Of 18 governorates, only two recorded "No" votes greater than two thirds—one province short of a veto. Turnout in the referendum was 63%, commission officials had said previously. With the approval of the constitution, elections for a permanent government must be held no later than 15 December 2005, with the new government assuming office no later than 31 December 2005. If the constitution had been rejected, the National Assembly would have been dissolved, and a new transitional government would have been elected to attempt to write another permanent constitution. During this election, security detainees held by coalition forces and the Ministry of Interior were given the opportunity to vote. This is the first time in the modern history of the Middle East that detainees of this nature were allowed to vote in any election. Results table See also Federalism in Iraq References External links Iraq's Sunnis Register to Vote in Droves (The Washington Post, 8 September 2005) UN condemns Iraq charter change (BBC News, 4 October 2005) Iraqis vote on new constitution; few attacks Reuters October 15, 2005 The Iraqi Constitution: What Would Approval Really Mean? JURIST Iraq Charter Seems Assured of Approval Associated Press October 16, 2005 Iraq result delay over fraud fear BBC October 17, 2005 Iraq voters back new constitution BBC October 25, 2005 Soldier's firsthand photo essay of Baghdad's Referendum Vote on October 15th by Matthew Vea Iraq's Constitutional Process II: An Opportunity Lost U.S. Institute of Peace Special Report, December 2005 2005 referendums Constitutional referendum Constitution of Iraq Referendums in Iraq Constitutional referendums October 2005 events in Iraq