IDF Prepares for Knesset Elections with Mobile Polling Stations

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is making extensive preparations to facilitate voting for all career and reserve soldiers in the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, despite the challenging operational realities. For the first time, voting will occur across different operational sectors, with over 800 stationary and mobile polling stations to be deployed in units nationwide. Early voting within the IDF will commence on the evening of October 20 and continue for seven days, concluding on the general election day, October 27.

Mobile polling stations will travel between units according to a predetermined schedule, accompanied by an armed officer or NCO for security. The ballot box will remain locked during transit between locations. Soldiers will have the option to vote at military polling stations or civilian ones. The voting process will utilize double envelopes to ensure voters are eligible and vote only once.

Colonel Wared Ben Yehuda has been appointed as the IDF's Elections Officer, in addition to her role as head of the IDF Employees Employment Center. The election operation involves hundreds of election officers and approximately 3,000 soldiers trained to serve on polling committees. Each committee consists of four soldiers trained in the necessary procedures for managing the voting process.

The IDF emphasized that the elections will be conducted while maintaining the army's state-like character and separation from political discourse, alongside operational efforts to ensure all service members can exercise their democratic right.