2026 Palestinian local elections|
|
4,097 Council members |
Elections for 403 local authorities in Palestine are scheduled to be held on April 25, 2026. [1] These elections are expected to take place in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. [2] Domestic civil society organizations, private individuals, and international journalists are permitted to apply to become observers of the elections. [3] [4]
The voter registration process, also subject to observation, takes place in January. [5] Registrants must be:
- of Palestinian nationality
- aged 17 or older (born January 24, 2009, or before)
- a resident of the local authority of registration for at least six months before the election [6]
- of full legal capacity
Individuals may apply for registration online via the website of the Central Elections Commission, in person at a voter registration center, or at a District Electoral Office (with exceptions) [5]
The fifteen-member Election Cases Court was created on December 25, 2025, by presidential decree-law. [7]
Council seats by locality type
The Ministry of Local Government published a list of localities for which elections are scheduled by council type and number of seats, in addition to summary seat counts by governorate and council type. [9]
| District | Number of local authorities by classification |
|---|
| Municipal Council | Village Council
(9 seats) | Total Number of
Local Authorities | Total Number
of Seats |
|---|
Class A
(15 seats) | Class B
(13 seats) | Class C
(11 seats) | Total |
|---|
| Jerusalem [a] | 0 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 10 | 29 | 303 |
| Jenin | 1 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 54 | 70 | 674 |
| Tulkarem | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 302 |
| Tubas | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 138 |
| Nablus | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 165 |
| Qalqilya | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 257 |
| Salfit | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 184 |
| Ramallah and Al-Bireh | 2 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 51 | 71 | 699 |
| Jericho | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 82 |
| Bethlehem | 1 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 369 |
| Hebron | 1 | 14 | 9 | 24 | 35 | 59 | 611 |
| Northern Gaza | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 52 |
| Gaza | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 48 |
| Deir Al-Balah | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 89 |
| Khan Younis | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 87 |
| Rafah | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 37 |
| West Bank total | 11 | 33 | 92 | 136 | 284 | 378 | 3,784 |
|---|
| Gaza Strip total | 5 | 9 | 11 | 25 | 0 | 25 | 313 |
|---|
| Total | 16 | 42 | 103 | 161 | 284 | 403 | 4,097 |
|---|
Note from the Central Elections Commission: "Refugee camps in the Gaza Strip[...] are listed under the municipalities and participate in local elections, therefore, [they were] added as communities affiliated with their surrounding local authorities. There are 8 refugee camps in the Gaza Strip (4 in Deir Al-Balah, and 1 in each of the other [governorates]" [11] .
Religious seat allocation
A presidential decree-law issued on January 11, 2026, [12] mandating religious quotas for certain municipalities. Mayoral seats are indirectly elected from within the councils themselves. [13]
| Local authority | Christian seats | Muslim seats | Mayoral seat |
|---|
| Ramallah Municipality | 8 | 7 | Christian |
| Bethlehem Municipality | 8 | 7 | Christian |
| Beit Sahur Municipality | 10 | 3 | Christian |
| Beit Jala Municipality | 10 | 3 | Christian |
| Berzeit Municipality | 7 | 6 | Christian |
| Az Zababida Municipality | 7 | 4 | Christian |
| 'Abud Village Council | 5 | 4 | Christian |
| 'Jifna Village Council | 7 | 2 | Christian |
| 'Ein 'Arik Village Council | 5 | 4 | Christian |
| Birqin Municipality | 8 | 7 | Muslim |
| Jericho Municipality | 1 | 14 | Muslim |
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