Palestinians head to the polls in the West Bank and Gaza Strip today in the final test of the strength between the dominant Fatah faction and Hamas before they face off in legislative elections. More than 400,000 people will be entitled to cast their ballots in 84 municipalities, the latest and largest phase of a process that began in late December when Hamas entered the democratic process for the first time.Hamas sent shivers down the spine of Fatah's leadership in January with a landslide victory in the first local elections in its Gaza stronghold, as voters expressed their disillusionment with the incompetence and cronyism which has characterized many councils. The movement is hoping for similar results today, especially in areas of Gaza such as the southern town of Rafah. The battle between Fatah and Hamas is expected to be closer in the West Bank where elections are being held in 76 municipalities, including the cities of Bethlehem and Qalqilya. Despite the rivalry, election officials say the campaign has been conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. The Palestinians also won widespread international praise in January for successfully staging a ballot to replace the late Yasser Arafat as their president. "The campaign has taken place in a calm climate and there have been no major violations," said Firhas Yaghi, head of the local elections commission's executive bureau.