Voting in Israel has not changed and citizens will cast a paper ballot as they have done in past years. The ballots are placed into a slotted box, which is eventually opened and counted.

262 million ballot slips were printed for the 34 political parties competing for 120 Knesset seats. In line with the Election Law, 7.5 million ballot slips were printed for each of the parties with the realization there are only 5.6 million registered voters. The law compels printing 30% more ballots than registered voters. The cost of the printing the ballot slips is 1.3 million NIS.

Elections for the 19th Knesset are underway, beginning on motzei Shabbos in the Kirya (Defense Ministry) in Tel Aviv. Voting in the military continues Sunday 9 Shevat in 60 voting stations. Sunday’s voters in the IDF include the navy in Haifa and Ashdod bases, as well as Sayeret Matkal.

On Monday, soldiers stationed throughout Yehuda and Shomron will get their chance, as well as those stationed in the Jordan Valley.

On Tuesday, Election Day, 150 military voting stations will be operating along with 600 mobile stations that will visit each and every IDF outpost, checkpoint and position. 3,000 IDF personnel have been trained to act as poll watchers and there will be at least two observers at each voting station for military personnel only to the rank of first sergeant as to avoid influencing soldiers as they come to vote.

A soldier may vote in any military voting station on Election Day regardless of the unit or base s/he is assigned to. The voting slips from soldiers will be placed in two envelopes and their names written on the outer envelope to prevent double voting. Any case of double voting will be handed to the military police for investigation.

The military ballots will be brought to the Knesset, where they will be unsealed and counted.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)