How Your Ballot Is Counted in Israeli Elections
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Israel's 26th Knesset elections involve a detailed ballot counting process starting immediately after polls close. Over 7.3 million voters are eligible, with a record 650,000 expected to use "double envelopes" due to various objective reasons, potentially delaying results. Votes are validated after removing invalid ones, and the electoral threshold is 3.25%. The Bader-Ofer method is used to distribute the remaining Knesset seats after initial allocation.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Over 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote in the 26th Knesset elections.
- A record 650,000 "double envelope" votes are expected, potentially delaying results.
- Invalid votes are removed before calculating valid votes and the 3.25% electoral threshold.
- The Bader-Ofer method is used to distribute the remaining Knesset seats.
- Vote counting requires specific personnel and procedures, including for security alerts.
As Israel heads into its 26th Knesset elections, a crucial democratic process unfolds after the ballots are cast. The process begins immediately after polls close, with election committee members tasked with counting and summarizing the votes. Key personnel present during this count include committee members, the committee secretary, central and regional election committee members, the Interior Minister or their representative, candidate list observers, police, and the election purity supervisor. A minimum of two committee members, one secretary, and an election purity supervisor must be present.
For the upcoming elections, with over 7.3 million eligible voters, including approximately 6.5 million in Israel and 810,000 abroad, the Central Election Committee has issued specific instructions. Due to security tensions, vote counting must occur on a special fabric mat with a drawstring, facilitating rapid collection of materials in case of an alarm. Valid votes are determined after invalid ones are removed. Votes are invalidated if an envelope contains ballots from more than one list, if ballots are blank, do not meet format requirements, or bear marks revealing the voter's identity. Envelopes not supplied by the committee or lacking required signatures can also be disqualified.
In the last election, 29,851 out of nearly 4.79 million votes were invalidated, a low rate of 0.62%. Invalid votes do not count towards the electoral threshold or seat allocation. After local counting, ballot materials are sent to regional committees for verification of completeness and accuracy. Results are then entered into a system called "Democracy" and sent for approval before reaching the Central Election Committee.
A significant number of votes, an expected record of 650,000, are cast using "double envelopes." These are not counted at the polling station but are sent to the Central Election Committee for verification. This process ensures voters who, due to objective reasons like military service, hospitalization, imprisonment, or being abroad, cannot vote at their designated polling station, can still exercise their right. The increase in double envelope votes may delay final results.
Once counting is complete, the electoral threshold, set at 3.25% since 2015, is calculated by multiplying the total valid votes by 0.0325. This determines the minimum number of votes needed to enter the Knesset. In the previous election, 154,855 votes were required to pass this threshold. The "mandate meter," or the cost per seat, is calculated by dividing the total valid votes of lists that passed the threshold by 120. In 2022, one mandate cost 36,227 votes. Initial seat allocation is based on each list's valid votes divided by the mandate meter, rounded down. Remaining seats are distributed using the Bader-Ofer method, which involves calculating a new mandate price for remaining seats, often through surplus vote agreements between lists.
