Israel Election Day: What Voters Can and Cannot Do

Millions of Israelis are heading to the polls on Tuesday for the 26th Knesset elections, but alongside the right to vote come rules designed to ensure a fair and secret ballot. It is strictly forbidden to photograph inside polling stations, including behind the voting booth, to maintain the secrecy of the vote and prevent pressure or bribery. This prohibition applies to voters themselves, meaning even a seemingly innocent photo of a ballot before it is placed in the envelope is illegal. While election committee staff have special photography permissions for monitoring, these are also limited and do not permit documenting a voter's secret ballot.

Election campaigning is permitted on election day, but not within polling station premises or within a restricted zone of five to ten meters from the entrance. This ban covers distributing campaign materials and verbal persuasion attempts. Political activity is allowed outside this prohibited area, subject to the law. Poll workers and observers are also forbidden from using their positions to pressure voters or compromise ballot secrecy.

Election Day is a national holiday in Israel. Generally, employees who have worked for the same employer for at least 14 consecutive days before the election are entitled to their regular pay for the day off, without it being deducted from their vacation days. However, essential services like transportation, health, and security will continue to operate, and employees in these sectors must still be allowed to vote, though they may not be entitled to a full day off. Workers entitled to the holiday who are required to work may be eligible for increased pay or alternative arrangements.

Several actions can lead to a vote being disqualified. These include placing ballots from different parties into the same envelope, marking the ballot or envelope in a way that identifies the voter, using a non-official envelope, or placing four or more ballots from the same party into the envelope. A voter who finds their desired party's ballot missing can request it from poll workers or use a blank ballot to write the party's letters in blue ink, following legal instructions. A blank white ballot, however, will be considered invalid.

In cases of suspected pressure, compromised ballot secrecy, impersonation, or attempts to disrupt the voting process, individuals can report to the poll committee secretary, the election integrity supervisor, or the Central Election Committee. For incidents involving violence or suspected criminal offenses, the police should be contacted.