According to the Central Election Commission based in Ramallah, about 1.5 million registered voters in the West Bank and 70,000 people in the Deir el-Balah area in Gaza participated in voting on April 25. Polling stations in the West Bank opened from 7 am to 7 pm, while in Deir el-Balah they closed earlier due to lack of electricity.
Most of the candidate lists are linked to President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement or independent candidates. No list is linked to Hamas, the force that controls most of Gaza. In many cities such as Nablus and Ramallah, there is only one registered list, meaning a default victory.
Mr. Mahmud Bader, a businessman in Tulkarem, said that the election results are unlikely to create substantive changes when the area is still under military control. Meanwhile, some voters such as Ms. Farah Shaath see voting as a way to assert the existence of the Palestinian people amidst difficult circumstances.
The vote in Deir el-Balah is seen as a test because this is an area with less population relocation after more than 2 years of conflict between Hamas and Israel. Election officials said they have mobilized personnel from social organizations and hired private security forces to ensure safety, although there is information that Hamas forces are also participating in protection.
United Nations Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said the election is an important opportunity for people to exercise their democratic rights in a challenging period.
