Here is an explanation for why some Kurds might want to see a delay in the elections. I hadn’t seen the provincial-election rationale before:
“The Kurds are well organized and are expected to vote in large numbers. But their leaders are also concerned that the Shiites, who make up about 60 percent of Iraq’s population, will seize unchecked power in the elections and dominate other groups. Kurds who were forced out of Kirkuk and other northern cities under Saddam Hussein have been moving back in recent months, and a delayed election could allow more time for Kurds to increase their numbers there and dominate the provincial elections that will take place along with the national vote.”