By Roger Hearing BBC correspondent in Baghdad

BBC correspondent Roger Hearing writes about a festive mood that has engulfed Iraq during a referendum to extend President Saddam Hussein's powers for another seven years - in the third of his postcards for BBC News Online.

The people of Iraq have been having a party.

I've covered votes in many parts of the world, but I have to say Iraq's exercise of the democratic principle is unique

Despite everything - the sanctions, the poverty, the inflation and the likelihood of another war - they've been letting their hair down and having a good time.

Every few minutes, it seems, there's the sound of car horns and roaring engines, and a yellow bus trundles by with half a dozen young men hanging out of the windows, shouting and waving flags and placards.

At schools and offices, there are brass bands, children in party hats with sweets and cakes, and singing and dancing.

'Unique' voting

Oh yes - and there's an election, too.

Some voters used blood to mark their referendum slips

I've covered votes in many parts of the world, but I have to say Iraq's exercise of the democratic principle is unique.

First, there is no choice of candidate - this is a yes-or-no affair.

And second, there is no opposition, no-one campaigning or even voicing support for anyone other than Saddam Hussein.

The result of all this is that everyone's on the winning side, and therefore the victory celebration can begin as soon as the polls open. Hence the party.

Of course, everyone does it in their own way.

At a polling station we visited in the suburb of Saddam City, there had been an outbreak of blood-voting. Those wishing to cast a ballot were pricking their thumbs with a pin and smearing the result on the voting slip.

In most parts of the world, I guess, a brown fetid smudge would count as a spoilt ballot.

Here it's seen as evidence of political enthusiasm. Whether those who have to count the papers are quite so enthusiastic, I'm not sure.

'Democracy-as-celebration'

And with all the partying and celebrating - often around the ballot box itself - the vote could hardly be said to be secret.

But here, you feel, that's not really the point - this is an opportunity for Iraqis to bolster their leader as he faces up to a dire threat. It's no time to sow the seeds of doubt.

And of course there are plenty of states in the region, such as Saudi Arabia, where there isn't even a nod towards people power.

So, imperfect as it may be, democracy-as-celebration is the best Iraqis can get at the moment - and this downtrodden, isolated, threatened people is direly in need of a good party.