Carter Center Launches Study Mission to West Bank Municipal Elections

Contact: Deanna Congileo, 404-420-5108
In Ramallah: David Viveash, +972 (0)54 977 5603

The Carter Center deployed a study mission to the West Bank this week to assess the overall political and electoral conditions surrounding the Oct. 20, 2012, municipal elections. The Center was invited and is accredited by the Central Election Commission (CEC) as guest observers.

The study mission will focus on the political and electoral environment and the CEC's administration of the election. Delegates will meet with election officials, political party and civil society representatives, members of the international community, and other stakeholders to form an assessment. Their evaluation will be made against Palestine's legal framework, electoral law, and international commitments. Due to its limited scope and presence, the Center will not offer a comprehensive assessment of the electoral process. The Carter Center anticipates the release of a public statement regarding the study mission's findings on Oct. 21, which will be available at www.cartercenter.org.

The Carter Center has observed all three Palestinian national elections, including the presidential and Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections in 1996, presidential elections in 2005, and PLC elections in 2006. The Carter Center conducts its electoral assessments in accordance with applicable national laws and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, endorsed at the United Nations in 2005.

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A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 70 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers in developing nations to increase crop production. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.