Date: 9 March 2016

Place: Movenpick hotel, Ramallah

Session Minutes:

- CEC Chairman discussed the recently launched online registration campaign which received a major hit among high school students. The Chairman stressed that online registration does not and will not give access to e-voting.

- The CEC will continue to follow up on the issue of provision of a plot of land for the construction of Commission’s regional office in Gaza.

- The meeting also discussed CEC’s financial allocations which have not been transferred to CEC by the Ministry of Finance for several months now. The CEC stressed on its financial and administrative independence stipulated by the law.

Date: 4 April 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Garza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. Minutes of previous session were approved.

2. The CEC discussed the options for CEC staff to join the social security or retirement systems. In light of the discussions, the CEC decided to

-  Delegate Commissioner, Shukri Nashashibi, CEO. Hisham Kuhail and Deputy CEO, Ashraf Shuaibi, to meet with the Retirement Organization to address the details of joining the retirement system.

- Notify the retirement organization of initially reserving places for CEC staff until a final decision is made.

Date: 17 May 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. Minutes of previous session were approved.

2. The CEC discussed the difficult financial position of the CEC due to not transferring CEC disbursements by the Ministry of Finance. The CEC stressed its independent financial and administrative status guaranteed by the law and that no entity should interfere in its internal work according to the laws organizing its work.

3. The CEC welcomed the Cabinet’s intent to hold local elections and expressed its full readiness. The CEC stressed that it will wait for an official decision by the Cabinet assigning the poling day and identifying the list of localities in which elections will be held.

4. The CEC decided to delegate, Commissioner Shokri Nashashibi and CEO,Hisham Kuhail to immediately meet with the retirement organization to give the chance for employees who initially voted against joing the retirement system to reconsider their decision.

5. The Secretary-General of the CEC, Ms. Lamis Al-Alami, reported on CEC’s participation in the Arab League conference which included Elections Administrations and observation bodies in the Arab region, stating that CEC’s participation was both effective and distinguished.

Date: 23 June 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. Minutes of previous session were approved.

2. The CEC discussed the ongoing preparations for local elections scheduled on 8 October in the WB and GS and decided to meet with political parties and CSOs to inform them of such preparations.

3. CEO presented the elections timeline which was discussed and approved during the session. CEO also presented the initial statistics on the number of eligible voters and list of localities in which elections will be held.

 4. CEC Chairman explained that the CEC has signed an agreement with the retirement organization for CEC staff to join the retirement system and that employees relevant files will be sent to the retirement organization.

5. It was agreed to address the Ministry of Civil Affairs to issue long-term permits for Commissioners during the electoral process.

Date: 28 August 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. Minutes of previous session were approved.

2. CEC Chairman indicated that the CEC approved 867 lists and rejected 7.

3. The CEC discussed the legal and procedural causes of rejection and decided to approve rejections and notify representatives of lists of its decision.

4. CEC Chairman explained that 416 localities are nominated, of which:

- 196 localities in which elections will be held.

- 181 localities will win by acclamation.

- 38 localities had no nominated lists.

-1 locality had candidates number less than the designated seats.

-  With regards to the letter received from the General Directorate of Field Operations- Ministry of Interior, in Gaza on 16 August 2016, on the elections insurance, the CEC decided to inform the Directorate that the elections insurance falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of interior and not the CEC.

Date: 1 September 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. Minutes of previous session were approved.

2. The CEC discussed the objections to nomination of lists and candidates and decided to issue its final decision during the session on Saturday, 3 September 2016, until reviewing the response of respondents.
 

Date: 3 September 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

First: The CEC considered all of 163 submitted objections to lists and candidates in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Objections were distributed as follows:
• 24 objections against acquittal, 42 objections against the residency of some candidates; 25 objections against resignation  ; 20 objections against  alleged judicial verdicts against candidates. The remaining 52 objections were for various reasons not mentioned above.
Resolution: After considering the submitted objections, the CEC decided to reject 154 objections and accept seven objections as follows:
• Accept  four objections in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the rejection of four lists in Beit Hanoun, Umm al-Nasr, Zahra and Nasirat. The CEC accepted three further objections in the West Bank, resulting in the rejection of a list in Yatta and the re-admission of two lists in both Qafin and Beni Zaid.
Second: Authoring CEO to sign the response to objections letters on behalf of the CEC.

Date: 27 September 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. Minutes of previous session were approved.

2.  CEC Chairman confirmed that the CEC is committed to the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice and any future decisions. Accordingly, it has stopped all elections preparations. The next meeting was set to take place on 3/10/2016 to discuss the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice and take appropriate decisions in this regard.

Date: 3 October 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

- The CEC discussed the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice calling for continuing elections across the country except in Gaza Strip. Although the CEC respects the Court’s decision, however, perceives the decision to further deepen the existing rift between the West Bank and Gaza Strip which harms the public interest and the democratic process in Palestine. Accordingly, the CEC decided to send its recommendation to Mr. President to postpone local elections for six months to give chance to tackle the relevant laws and systems for the sake of the higher interest of the Palestinian people.

- The CEC decided to unify into one system all internal regulations governing its work, to circulate it internally and to authorize the CEO office with amending the CEC structure accordingly.

Date: 16 October 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

- CEC Chairman confirmed that the CEC has no mandate to amend elections laws and regulations, however its mission is to execute laws only.

- The CEC discussed its current financial position in light of not receiving the disbursements for local elections except those covering electoral ink. The CEC Chairman will follow up on this issue with Mr. President and the Cabinet.

Date: 27 October 2016

Place: CEC HQ- Gaza Regional Office via video conference

Session Minutes:

1. After finding that a number of State institutions, enjoying similar independence status as the CEC, deals with the State Audit and Control Bureau, the CEC, despite its independent capacity provided by the law, considers that dealing with the Bureau has its advantages and provides more transparency to CEC’s work. Accordingly, the CEC decided to agree on dealing with the Bureau.

2. The CEC authorizes its Chairman to meet with the Chairman of the Audit Bureau to clarify the audit and control details and to explain CEC’s financial and administrative systems. The meeting shall be within one month.

 3. The CEC decided to provide the Cabinet with CEC’s administrative and financial systems for more transparency. The CEC also stressed the importance for CEC’s financial and administrative systems to be published on its website for further transparency.