Date: 17 January 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference – Lamis Al-Alami and Shukri Nashashibi via (Zoom)

Minutes:

• The CEC approved the previous meeting minutes.
• CEC Chairman discussed with Commissioners the details of the meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas on January 15, 2021 and mentioned receiving the decree calling for legislative elections followed by presidential elections this year. Dr. Nasir also mentioned President Mahmoud Abbas commitment to smooth out any obstacles that may face the CEC work.
• CEC Chairman shared his intention to meet with the general secretariat of the political parties and factions today, and with civil society organizations (CSOs) representatives tomorrow. 
• A request was submitted to the President to establish the Election-Cases Court as soon as possible to adjudicate any appeals that might be submitted.
• The CEO set forth the initial procedures of the electoral process, which the CEC began implementing.

Date: 22 February 2021
Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.
 

Minutes: 

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• The CEC discussed the fact that some people have transferred voters’ addresses, who exist in the voter’s registry, from their locality of residence to another one in the district of Hebron for the purpose of changing their polling location. CEC Chairman indicated that the transferring process has been stopped as soon as it was discovered, and the CEC has moved back all those who were transferred to their original polling locations. The CEC submitted a complaint to the Attorney General and later will follow up with the results of the investigation to reveal the identity of the committers.

• The CEC discussed matters relating to procedures of the Nomination process and decided on some of them.

• The CEC approved the 2021 General Elections budget.

Date: 9 March 2021
Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes: 

• The CEC had a meeting and entrusted its CEC chairman; Dr. Hanna Nasir to sign the power of attorney documents for the lawyers who will be representing it in the Elections Court (In the West Bank). Consequently, Dr. Nasir is given all legal privileges that are granted to the CEC in front of the court. 

• The CEC entrusted Mr. Ishac Muhanna, Member of the CEC, to sign the power of attorney documents (In the Gaza Strip) for the lawyers who will be representing it in the Elections Court. Consequently, He is given all legal privileges that are granted to the CEC in front of the court. 

Date: 9 March 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes: 

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• The CEC decided to hold weekly meetings to follow up with any updates relating to the Electoral process. Thus scheduling its next meeting this upcoming Thursday 1/4/2021 at 11 o’clock in the morning. 

• The CEC approved the executive administration’s recommendation to accept three nomination applications that have applied up until this date. That is after meeting all conditions according to the law. The Lists are: (Palestine For Everyone, Democratic Change, My dignity; youth independent List). The CEC decided to officially inform the list representatives of the decision to accept their applications.

Date: 30 March 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes: 

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• CEO Mr. Hisham Kuhail presented a report on 13 electoral lists that have submitted nomination applications for the membership of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The CEC decided to accept the lists, which goes in accordance with the (not convicted with a crime or a felony) condition according to the attached schedule. 

• The CEC discussed an official letter received from Hamas, asking the CEC to make an exception to accept the nomination of the political prisoner Hassan Salama, as he is not registered in the Voter’s registry. The CEC accordingly decided to not accept his nomination, considering he does not meet the nomination conditions stipulated by the law.

Date: 31 March 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes: 

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• CEC CEO presented a report on 8 electoral lists that have submitted nomination applications for the membership of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The CEC decided to accept the executive administration’s recommendations in accepting the latter applications. 

• CEC CEO presented as well another report exhibiting the parties that applied for an accreditation of a local observation body on the upcoming General Elections. The number of applications reached 244 up until 30/03/2021; 63 of which were accredited after confirming they met the accreditation criteria and conditions that were advertised about by the CEC. 

Date:1 April 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• CEC CEO presented a report on 17 electoral lists that have submitted nomination applications for the membership of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The CEC decided to accept the executive administration’s recommendations in accepting the latter applications. 

• The CEC has expressed its gratitude and appreciation for all its staff members that are working in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; for their loyal and tremendous efforts during the electoral process up until this date. Especially during the registration and nomination phases; which have successfully and accurately been executed in a transparent matter that reflects their spirit of belongingness to the institute we are all proud to be part of. 

Date: 10 April 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC discussed 231 challenges submitted to them, during the Exhibition and Challenge phase about candidates and electoral lists, that are distributed as follows:

• The CEC decided to decline 226 Challenges, 4 of which have been withdrawn by their submitters, while approving 1 challenge against a candidate whose nomination has been removed since she acquired an Israeli citizenship. Which contradicts: Decree-Law No. (1) of 2007 on General Elections and its Amendments. The CEC will inform the individuals concerned in writing.  

Date: 7 September 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC discussed the Cabinet’s decision made in session No. (123) and held on 06/09/2021; stipulating (The approval of polling day to be on 11/12/2021 for local village councils, and classified as (C) Municipalities. As for localities that are classified as (A) and (B), a polling date for which will be announced later in compliance with National Interest and Health precautions).

• The CEC Chairman indicated that the CEC didn’t receive the written cabinet’s decision, neither did it receive the list of localities where the elections will be formally held until this date.

Date: 15 September 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• The CEC discussed the Cabinet’s decision with regards to holding the Local Council Elections in 11/12/2021, which will include 387 localities. 11 of which are in the Gaza Strip. 

• CEC Chairman sent a letter to the prime minister to inquire about the possibility of holding the Elections in the Gaza Strip. Taking into consideration that holding it there requires political approval from Hamas. Approval ought to be acquired before 20/09/2021 in order for the CEC to be able to hold the Elections according to the formal Electoral Calendar and timeframes of the Local Elections.  Dr. Nasir indicated that another letter was sent to the Cabinet emphasizing the necessity to issue presidential decrees on the formation of an Elections Court, and another on the Christian quota in some localities. 

• The CEC decided to open registration centers in localities where the Elections will be held, while online registration remains available as usual. 

• The CEC approved the budget of 4,810,671$ for the (First Phase) of the Local Elections.

Date: 21 September 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• The CEC examined the progress of the Local Elections, which is scheduled for 11/12/2021. Dr. Hanna Nasir indicated that the CEC did not receive a formal reply regarding Hamas’s position on holding the Elections in the Gaza Strip to date. 

• The CEC decided to send a letter reminding the Cabinet of the need to receive a statement about the possibility of holding the Local Elections in the Gaza Strip.

• The CEC discussed case No (1187) held at Ramallah’s Court of First Instance, and filed by former employee Samir Duweikat. The CEC delegated Dr. Hanna Nasir to appoint an attorney to represent the defense in this case.

Date: 6 October 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC discussed Nomination applications for the (First Phase) of the Local Elections, where CEO Mr. Kuhail presented a report about 774 Electoral lists that have submitted them. After reviewing these applications, the CEC decided to accept the nomination of 765 Lists after fulfilling all conditions required by the Law. While 9 Electoral lists, where rejected for not meeting the required legal conditions (See attached)

Date: 12 October 2021

Place: CEC HQ – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC examined the progress of the Electoral process, and looked into some objections and reports received, about the polling process, from observation bodies, which mostly praised the Electoral process. Despite the presence of some issues that did not affect the Elections’ progress or final results.

• The CEC decided to conduct an evaluation of the Electoral Process to avoid any similar future problems. 

• The CEC approved the results in 162 localities where lists won by acclamation. 

• The CEC approved the results of the Elections in 153 localities. Voters refrained from casting their votes in Jaba’, in view of a murder incident that happened in town few days prior to the Elections.

Date: 27 October 2021

Place: CEC HQ in Ramallah – Gaza Regional Office via video conference.

Minutes:

• The CEC approved the previous meeting’s minutes.

• Members of the CEC viewed the suggested budget for the year 2022. Its various articles were discussed and accredited. 

• Members of the CEC viewed the suggested modifications made by the executive administration on the CEC’s structure and approved them. 

• The CEC viewed a summary of the submitted electoral challenges on the results of the First Phase of the 2021 Local Elections, knowing that these challenges did not affect the results of the elections. 

• CEC’s CEO informed its members of the legal calendar and timeframes for the Second Phase of the Local Elections. He also indicated that the required budget to implement this phase reached 6,626,992 USD.