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Palestinian voter registration begins ahead of 1st legislative elections since 2006

Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists attempt to deliver basic supplies to three Palestinian families living in the Ras al-Ayn area of Qusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, Palestine, on August 14, 2026. (AA Photo)
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Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists attempt to deliver basic supplies to three Palestinian families living in the Ras al-Ayn area of Qusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, Palestine, on August 14, 2026. (AA Photo)
August 15, 2026 12:53 PM GMT+03:00

Voter registration and data updates began across the occupied West Bank on Saturday ahead of Palestinian legislative elections scheduled for Nov. 28, the first such vote in nearly 20 years.

Registration centers opened to the public Saturday morning, with the process set to continue until Wednesday evening, according to the timetable announced by the Central Elections Commission.

The commission called on eligible citizens whose names are not on the electoral register to sign up and urged registered voters to update their information if necessary.

It said registration is a key stage of the electoral process.

The elections are set to be held in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including Jerusalem, the commission said.

Palestinians aged 17 and above are eligible to register.

Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists attempt to deliver basic supplies to three Palestinian families living in the Ras al-Ayn area of Qusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, Palestine, on August 14, 2026. (AA Photo)
Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists attempt to deliver basic supplies to three Palestinian families living in the Ras al-Ayn area of Qusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, Palestine, on August 14, 2026. (AA Photo)

Gaza voters automatically registered

The data update process is limited to the West Bank, while Gaza residents are automatically registered based on the Palestinian civil registry, the commission said.

The vote will be the first Palestinian legislative elections since 2006.

Coming after years of internal Palestinian division and the Gaza war, the elections are seen as a test of efforts to rebuild Palestinian institutions and renew their legitimacy.

Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran said Wednesday that the group would participate in the elections “within the broadest possible national coalition.”

,Displaced Palestinians living along the coastal strip of blockaded Gaza City carry out daily activities among the ruins of destroyed buildings during sunset in Gaza, Palestine on August 14, 2026. (AA Photo)
,Displaced Palestinians living along the coastal strip of blockaded Gaza City carry out daily activities among the ruins of destroyed buildings during sunset in Gaza, Palestine on August 14, 2026. (AA Photo)

Candidate registration to begin in September

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree July 9 setting Nov. 28 as the date for the legislative elections.

The date of the presidential election will be announced later, with voting planned for the first quarter of 2027.

According to the commission, candidate registration will run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7.

Campaigning will begin Nov. 6 ahead of the general vote on Nov. 28.

August 15, 2026 12:56 PM GMT+03:00
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