Over 112,000 Democrats Members to Decide Party List in Digital Primaries Tomorrow

The Democratic Party in Israel is set to hold its primary elections tomorrow, July 20, 2026, where over 112,000 registered members will vote digitally to determine the party's candidate list for the 26th Knesset. Voting will take place exclusively online from 9:00 to 19:00, with no physical polling stations. Each member can select between six and eight candidates from a pool of 51 contenders, which includes current and former Knesset members, as well as candidates from diverse backgrounds including Jews, Arabs, Druze, secular and religious individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

In addition to choosing candidates, party members who have been registered for at least six months will vote on whether to officially rename the party "The Democrats." The final candidate list will be published after the vote, and the party will launch its election campaign. The list will be arranged using a gender "zipper" system alternating men and women. Yair Golan, the party chairman, will lead the list, with guaranteed slots for the Meretz party at positions 6, 8, and 14, and assured representation for rural sectors and minorities.

The candidate roster includes three current Knesset members: Naama Lazimi, Gilad Kariv, and Efrat Rayten, alongside eight former MKs and candidates from various regions across Israel. The party currently holds four Knesset seats, down from previous elections where Labor secured four seats and Meretz failed to pass the electoral threshold. Recent polls suggest the Democrats could win between 8 and 11 seats.

The party has seen a significant increase in membership, growing from about 30,000 members before Golan's leadership to over 114,000 registered voters now, marking the highest membership since the 1990s. The membership includes over 57,000 women, 55,000 men, approximately 12,000 kibbutz members, 5,700 Arabs, and 2,800 Druze. The party expects a high turnout for the primaries given this surge in membership.