RAMALLAH, Saturday, July 13, 2019 (WAFA) - Polls opened at 7:00 this morning in seven localities in the West Bank commencing voting in the 2019 re-run of local council elections, said the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC).

The total number of eligible voters reached 29,589 registered in 14 polling centers, said the CEC.  A total 194 candidates in 23 electoral lists are competing over 79 local council seats in seven localities in the West Bank, which are: Hizma in the Jerusalem district, Qifeen in Tulkarem district, Qabalan in Nablus, Jayyous in Qalqilya, Kafr al-Deek in Salfit and Beit Awwa in Hebron district.

Polling centers will close at 7 in the evening and the counting of votes will commence immediately after at the polling stations. The preliminary elections results will be announced by noon tomorrow, said the CEC.

The Palestinian cabinet has called on May 6 to hold re-run local elections on 13 July in 14 localities in the West Bank in addition to the three other localities included in a cabinet decision issued on May 20.

While elections were being held today in seven localities, only one list has registered in seven other local council, which means a win by default for that list, and no candidates have registered in three local councils, which means most likely the government will appoint the members of the local council.

M.K.