General Right to Vote
Constitution
(2003)

• Article 19 states, “Palestinians are equal before the law. They enjoy civil and political rights and bear public duties without discrimination.”
• Article 20 states, “The state shall guarantee religious, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and liberties to all citizens...”
• Article 21 states, “Every Palestinian who has reached the age of eighteen years shall have the right to vote in accordance with the provisions of law.”

Exclusion Based on Intellectual Disability
Electoral Law
The 2007 Elections Law
(By presidential decree)

• Article 29, section 1 states, “An individual shall be deprived of the electoral right if he/she...b. was declared incapacitated by a final judicial ruling.”

2005 Local Elections Law

• Article 7 states, “The right to vote shall be practiced according to provisions of this law, for who shall fulfill the following conditions...4. He/she shall not be legally incompetent.”

Voter Assistance
Electoral Law
The 2007 Elections Law
(By presidential decree)

• Article 86, section 4 states, “In case the voter is illiterate or disabled in a manner that renders him/her unable to mark the ballot paper personally, the voter may seek the assistance of any other trusted voter after permission has been granted to him/her by the polling center staff. The chairperson of the polling center staff shall observe the voter’s polling to make sure that his choice has been fulfilled.”

The 2005 Local Elections Law

• Article 40, section 1 states, “If the voter is illiterate or disabled in a manner that would prevent him/her from marking the ballot paper by him/herself, he/she can ask the help of a second degree relative to mark for him the name of the list he dictates.”
• Article 40, section 2 states, “Without prejudice to the provisions of this law, the Central Elections Commission may set forth legal regulations it deems appropriate to ensure non-manipulation of illiterate or disabled voters to commit a violation of the provisions of this law.”

• Constitution - http://www.mideastweb.org/palconstitution.htm
• 2007 Election Law - http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/downloads/2007-anullment.pdf
• 2005 Local Elections Law - http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/downloads/2005-local-elections-law.pdf