Assessment of April 2026 Municipal Elections in the Occupied Palestinian Territories – Final Report

Following an invitation from the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, The Carter Center conducted a remote assessment of the April 25, 2026, municipal and village council electoral processes. Although the Center did not conduct a formal observation, it assessed the electoral process against Palestine’s legal and election administration framework as well as its international commitments, focusing on the legal framework for the elections; the campaign, candidate nominations, and the work of the CEC; participatory rights, including for women and youth; tabulation; and electoral dispute resolution. Carter Center-affiliated national experts conducted field visits to Deir al-Balah municipality in Gaza as well as to electoral districts in the northern and southern West Bank and around Ramallah. The assessment members met with individuals and groups in the West Bank and Gaza in person and online, including CEC staff, Palestinian Authority officials, candidates from various lists and parties, and representatives of leading civil society organizations. The Carter Center’s final report on the elections offers recommendations related to those aspects of the process it assessed.