ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday cast his vote in the Kurdistan general elections and urged all citizens to exercise their right to vote and participate in the democratic process.

"Whoever comes out on top at the end of the elections, the real winners are the people of the Kurdistan Region," said Barzani at a press conference in Erbil following his vote.

Barzani thanked Iraqi authorities, the UN mission in Iraq (UNAMI), and international allies for helping administer the elections.

"The authority that the Kurdistan Region has now was achieved as a result of elections," said the Kurdistan Region president, calling on all citizens to exercise their natural rights and cast their votes. "The source of our authority is our people. The source of our authority is elections."

"My hope is for a swift government formation which aims to serve the people and their interests," Barzani added.

The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary elections on Sunday.

Polling stations across the Kurdistan Region were opened at 7am and will close at 6pm. A total of 2,683,618 people are eligible to vote in the elections on Sunday.

A total of 1,191 candidates are vying for 100 seats up for grabs. Of this number, five seats are reserved for the minorities - three for Christians, and the remaining two for Turkmen.