According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), there are 5.3 million Israelis 18-years-old and older eligible to vote in the upcoming elections for 20th Knesset.

Almost 16% of the voters are 18-24-years-old, 30% are 25-39-years-old, and 31% are 40-59-years-old. 23% of the eligible voters are 60-year-old or older.

Since the 19th Knesset elections in 2013, there has been a 4.5% increase in eligible voters, amounting to 231,000 people. This not include those 18 or older but they are not citizens and cannot vote. This pertains primarily to eastern Jerusalem Arabs and Druse residents of the Golan Heights. The number also excludes Israeli citizens eligible to vote living abroad.

The CBS figure is 540,000 fewer than the list maintained by the Central Election Committee. The latter includes Israelis living abroad while the former does not.

The CBS adds that one must assume that an unreported number of the eligible voters abroad have died and local state officials have not been notified.

80% of eligible voters are Jewish, 15% Arab (Muslims, Christians and Druse), 5% others (non-Arab Christians, residents without a stated religious categorization. The latter refers primarily to new immigrants who are not listed as “Jews” by the Interior Ministry).

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)