West Bank voting is first in six years

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Palestinians in the West Bank voted in dozens of local races Saturday, the first time elections have been held there in more than six years.

Independents and dissidents are running against candidates of the Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas, the BBC reported.

Almost 900 polling stations were open in 91 of the West Bank's 353 municipalities in the first stage of the voting.

More than half of the open positions on the West Bank are not being contested. Due to a lack of candidates, councils were formed in 181 municipalities without elections.

Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, is boycotting the elections, Voice of America reported.