How to vote in Israel: A guide for the first-time voter ahead of the Knesset elections - explainer
From finding your polling station to choosing the right ballot slip, here's everything voters in Israel need to know ahead of the big day.
To vote in Israel's upcoming Knesset elections on October 27, Israeli citizens aged 18 or older must be in the electoral register. This includes citizens with a criminal conviction or during imprisonment, as they still retain their right to vote. There's no need to register to vote, as the list is taken from the Population Registry.
New immigrants must ensure they appear on the register before the cut-off date. Soldiers deployed in Gaza or Lebanon receive early voting booths from October 20, while those in regular service vote at their base or mobile units on election day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
At the polling station, voters present their ID - an Israeli passport, driver's license, or military ID - to confirm their identity. They then receive a blue voting envelope and cast their vote by placing their chosen party list slip inside, ensuring only one slip is used. The envelope is sealed and deposited in the ballot box. Voting slips are secret, and voters cannot show their choice to anyone.
The valid vote threshold is 3.25% of all valid votes, and parties below this mark receive no seats. The final seat allocation happens proportionally after the national vote count.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
