Israel Votes: A Complete Guide to Election Day Procedures

Israel is holding elections for the 26th Knesset today, with over 7.3 million eligible voters casting ballots at approximately 12,000 polling stations nationwide. The Israel Police and the Central Election Committee are operating with heightened security measures to ensure public order and the integrity of the electoral process.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 AM and will close at 10:00 PM for most locations. Some smaller communities and special polling stations will operate from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Voters in line at closing time will still be allowed to cast their ballots. Vote counting begins immediately after polls close, with preliminary television exit poll results expected around 10:00 PM. Official results will be released gradually as vote counts are processed.

Over 450 million ballot papers were printed for the election, utilizing 250 tons of paper, with more than 400 tons slated for recycling post-election. The Central Election Committee employs around 40 staff members during normal periods, expanding to approximately 1,200 during elections. An estimated 100,000 workers are involved in election day operations, with about 50,000 having undergone training. The total budget for the 26th Knesset election system is 690 million shekels.

More than 20,000 police officers are deployed across the country to maintain order, ensure voter safety, and uphold election integrity. Approximately 15,000 cameras are being used by election purity supervisors to document irregularities and monitor vote counting, while preserving ballot secrecy. Each polling station has election committee officials, including representatives from various factions, overseeing the manual vote count recorded in protocols. Procedures are in place for additional checks and recounts in cases of discrepancies or suspected irregularities. In the 25th Knesset elections in 2022, 29,851 votes were disqualified.

To avoid disqualification, voters must not add writing, signatures, drawings, or markings to printed ballots. Using a blank white ballot requires writing the party's letters or its name with its letters in blue ink. Blank white ballots or those with only a party's nickname are invalid. Two or three identical ballots for the same party in one envelope count as one vote, while four or more identical ballots, or ballots from different parties in the same envelope, will lead to disqualification. Voters should approach the polling committee if they encounter a shortage of ballots or a damaged ballot.

Public transportation, including 660 intercity bus routes and all Israel Railways services, will be free of charge on election day. The Central Election Committee's control and monitoring center, located in Jerusalem, coordinates reports from regional committees and field operations, monitors the national situation, identifies issues, and coordinates responses. It also receives updates on voter turnout. The vote counting process involves transferring results through regional committees to the central system, alongside a separate procedure for checking double envelopes used for soldiers and those voting outside their registered precinct, with voter eligibility verified to prevent double voting. Official results are determined only after counting, verification, and mandate allocation are complete.