RAMALLAH, April 24, 2026 (WAFA) – Around 1.03 million Palestinian citizens are set to head to the polls on Saturday, April 25, 2026, to elect representatives for 183 local bodies out of 420 across the Palestinian territories.
According to the Central Elections Commission – Palestine, a total of 1,029,550 voters are eligible, including 70,449 voters in Deir al-Balah, which is the only constituency in the Gaza Strip included in the vote.
The commission said voters are nearly evenly split by gender, with 494,733 male voters (51.6%) and 464,368 female voters (48.4%). It added that 31,570 voters are persons with disabilities, representing 3.3% of the electorate.
Elections are being held in 90 municipal councils, including Deir al-Balah, where 321 electoral lists are competing, comprising 3,773 candidates—2,573 men and 1,200 women. Eight of these lists are headed by women. Party-affiliated lists make up 12%, while independents account for 88%.
Elections are also being held in 93 village councils, with 1,358 candidates competing, including 1,049 men and 309 women.
According to the commission, 42 municipal councils and 155 village councils will be formed by acclamation, while 40 local bodies had no candidates at all.
The commission has prepared 491 polling centers, including 12 in Deir al-Balah, with 1,922 polling stations in total.
It has accredited 6,463 candidate and list agents, 145 guests and diplomats, and 2,539 observers from 69 monitoring bodies. In Deir al-Balah alone, 336 observers from 12 institutions are accredited. In addition, 806 journalists from 120 media outlets, including 14 international ones, will cover the elections.
More than 10,600 staff members will also manage election day operations, including 651 in Deir al-Balah, according to the commission.
The elections are being held under a new electoral law issued in November 2025, using proportional representation for municipal councils and a majority system for village councils.
The Palestinian government had called for local elections across the country, later postponing voting in most Gaza Strip areas except Deir al-Balah, along with adjustments affecting other local councils, bringing the total number of participating bodies to 420.
M.N
