For the first time since 1954 Iraqi citizens voted in free elections Sunday. Despite threats of violence against participants, millions turned out to take part.
"The higher the turnout, the more you have a sense of legitimacy," said assistant professor of law Steven Mulroy.
Mulroy, as well as many others, believes the election was a success. Still, he has concerns about its effectiveness.
He said there is a risk of widespread alienation if each group in Iraq doesn't have some representation.
In an effort to avoid this, he said a proportional voting system was adopted. This is different from the winner-take-all system in the United States. Mulroy likened the proportional system to many used in Europe.
Instead of groups winning or losing, each group has the same percentage of seats that they had votes, he said.
"Each group feels they have a seat at the table," Mulroy said. Matthias Kaelberer, a professor of political science, said this process still has some downfalls.
He said in Iraq's elections, Shiites turned out more people, so they will probably have more representation. The process could have been improved if the elections were more region -- and district -- oriented, he explained.
To have the checks and balances system they need, Kaelberer said, any constitution that is drawn up can be voided if two-thirds of a group disagrees with the contents.
He said this election was to elect leaders that would make up the country's new constitution, and its success would not fully be seen until the outcome.
"It looks like it worked in the technical sense," Kaelberer said. "There was violence, but it was relatively low."
The members of parliament should be known in a couple of days, Kaelberer said.
He said the struggle that lies ahead comes in making sure all of the minorities are represented. This could likely be the Sunnis who had a low turn out.
"In writing the constitution you have to come up with some mechanism to include the Sunnis," Kaelberer said.
Alexander Yarbrough, a senior history major, said he understands that the Shiites have already promised to do this.
However, that promise was made only to avert possible future violence if the Sunnis weren't included.
He said although life isn't paradise in Iraq, he is encouraged by Sunday's elections.
"I think it is good to see people that have been oppressed for so long be freed to vote," he said.
Not everyone is as encouraged as Yarbrough, however. Will Fields, a junior English major, said he is opposed to the United States' involvement in Iraq.
"The purpose of having the election is the justification of war," he said.
"I think the whole purpose for going over there was oil."
