Hamdallah: 197 Local Authorities Won by Acclamation and 522,000 Voters Cast Their Ballots

SadaNews - The Central Elections Commission announced on Sunday the final results of the local elections, which took place in 183 local authorities in the West Bank, as well as in the city of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, detailing the number of votes and the seats won by each list.

Commission head Rami Hamdallah stated at a press conference held in Al-Bireh that the electoral process occurred under very complex circumstances; however, it was carried out with integrity and transparency.

Hamdallah explained that the new election law was implemented for the first time, including an open list system and an individual system, which necessitated extensive awareness programs and training for thousands of trainers to ensure the success of the electoral process.

Regarding the elections that took place in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, Hamdallah remarked that the elections committee considered the geographical homeland of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as a single unit, despite the significant challenges faced by the process.

He noted that one of the major difficulties was the prohibition of bringing in electoral materials, yet the residents of the Gaza Strip were able to locally print ballots and boxes, enabling the elections to take place in the city.

He pointed out that the turnout rate reached 23%, attributing this to reliance on an outdated civil registry, amid the presence of thousands of martyrs and the displacement of entire families from Deir al-Balah to other areas.

Hamdallah expressed hope for future elections to be conducted soon in other local authorities within the Gaza Strip.

For his part, Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa affirmed that the Ministry of Local Government will support the elected councils to provide the best services.