Updated at 10:15 p.m. EDT, May 1, 2014 Iraqis went to the polls today. Increased security seemed to have the effect wanted, as there were fewer reported casualties than in recent days. Security officials, however, admitted there were at least 50 attacks today on polling stations. In those attacks and others, at least 34 people were killed and 88 more were wounded.

On the eve of parliamentary elections, at least 67 Iraqis were killed and 115 more were wounded. Bombers again struck in Diyala province, not far from where a bomber caused massive casualties at a political rally yesterday.

Uniformed militants took advantage of advanced parliamentary voting today and attacked security forces waiting to cast votes. At least 84 people were killed and 164 more were wounded. The public votes on Wednesday, but expatriates began voting yesterday.

At least 41 people were killed and 63 more were wounded today. Meanwhile, Iraq forces flew into Syria to conduct an air strike. Also, more details about a failed militant takeover in Diyala last month were revealed.

Attacks against provincial councilmen and polling centers continued. Today, a councilman from Salah ad Din province was targeted and killed. A number of dumped bodies were found in Baghdad. Some of the attack may have been in revenge for an attack on a political rally yesterday. At least 69 people were killed and 37 more were wounded.

The Pentagon has sent a team to Iraq to assess the situation in Iraq. The U.S. military appears keen to help Iraq counter the Sunni extremists. Today, at least 85 Iraqis were killed and 108 more were wounded. Many of them were killed at a political rally in Baghdad. Elections take place next week, except in Anbar where the situation is too volatile.

Once again, many militants were reported killed across Anbar province. While independent figures are impossible to obtain, the numbers hint at the carnage currently underway in the province. However, even more civilians and security members were killed today. Most of the casualties were in scattered violence across Iraq, including Anbar. The worst attacked occurred at a checkpoint in Hilla.

The lion’s share of fatalities today came out of Anbar province, where security operations and clashes killed dozens of militants. The number of casualties in Anbar cannot be independently confirmed, because there are few to no reporters there. The most dramatic attacked, however, occurred in a Shabak community in northern Iraq. Also, a Diyala province councilman was shot dead in that restive province

Gunmen wearing military uniforms attacked a polling station near Kirkuk. That and other violence left 29 dead and 61 wounded across the country.

At least 105 people were killed and 127 more were wounded today when bombers struck deep into the Shi’ite south again. Baghdad also suffered from multiple bombing attacks. The now usual violence also occurred in Anbar and in the north.