January 17, 2005

NASHVILLE (AP) -- About two dozen Kurdish men milled about in subfreezing temperatures Monday morning as they prepared to register to vote in the Iraqi election.

Sabah Badel says nearly everyone he knows is planning to vote.

Badel said this is the first time in his life that there's been an election in Iraq and says the people he knows in this country are "very happy and very excited."

He said other members of his family came from Dallas to register, not letting the distance deter them. Badel said no matter how hard it is to vote, his family will do it.

About 8,000 Iraqis live in Nashville.

The city is one of five polling sites in the U.S. where Iraqi expatriates can vote in the Iraqi election.