Double Envelopes: The Votes That Could Sway Election Results

Hundreds of thousands of votes, known as "double envelopes," may remain uncounted after initial election results are tallied, potentially impacting the final distribution of Knesset seats. These votes are cast by individuals who cannot vote at their designated polling stations, including soldiers at military polling stations, hospitalized patients, prisoners, detainees, and people with mobility impairments voting at special accessible stations.

A double envelope ballot involves a voter placing their vote slip into an inner envelope, which is then placed into an outer envelope containing identifying details. This process ensures voters can exercise their right to vote while maintaining the principle of one vote per person and preserving ballot secrecy.

The counting of these votes is delayed because election officials must first verify that the voter did not also cast a ballot at their regular polling station. Once confirmed, the inner envelope is separated from the identifying information before being included in the count.

This separate counting process, which requires collation, verification, and sorting, means these votes are tallied after the regular ballots are finished. The election committee expects to complete the count by Thursday, after which a final picture of the mandate distribution will emerge.

In close elections, the thousands of votes from double envelopes can be significant. They can determine if a party crosses the electoral threshold, alter the distribution of the 120 Knesset mandates among parties that do pass it, and potentially influence which bloc can form a government. However, it is impossible to predict in advance which political camp will benefit from these votes, as the outcome depends on the composition of the voters and their actual ballot distribution.