CEC launches Palestinian voter registration

Palestine's Central Election Committee (CEC) announced Sunday the launch of the first stage of local elections with the voter registration process. CEC head Hana Nasser said in a press conference in Ramallah: "In preparation of local elections to be held October 20 2012, the CEC is announcing the launch of the registration process starting from Sunday morning until Thursday August 9". Nasser mentioned that around 754 "registration centres" will start working every day from 9am to 12pm in 353 local assemblies distributed in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Voters will register in 98 municipal councils, 245 village councils and 10 local councils. The election committee include 1800 employees approximately. "This stage is a last chance for people to register or change their voting constituency, or appeal against anything they find objectionable," he said. Nasser mentioned that according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, out of the West Bank's approximate 2.3 million citizens, 1.28 million were eligible to register. On election measures in the Gaza Strip, Nasser said: "The election measures will hit a snag in the Strip after its work there was suspended...Palestinian law allows holding elections in the region if it is impossible elsewhere." A member of the Fatah central committee, Mohammed Aloul, said: "Elections are an urgent national necessity, to end Palestinian division, Palestinians must update their registered data, to be able to hold elections on time in October". Aloul said: "The Palestinian reconciliation is not stable, the Hamas movement doesn’t want to complete it, after suspending election work in Gaza and voter registration...Hamas must start working with the CEC in Gaza." A citizen awareness campaign had recently urged people to register, publishing more than 600 fliers distributed among targeted communities. The committee implemented a door-to-door registration campaign in 21 local assemblies in addition to several announcements published in local radio, television, and newspapers and outdoor advertising.