Election Day: How Do You Vote In Israel?

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22 Cheshvan 5779

31 October 2018

The News on the Israeli Street

On the Gaza border . . .

Palestinian terrorists launched dozens of incendiary kites and balloons starting at least six  fires. The hardest hit area was the Kissufim Forest where two fires burned into the night.

Election returns . . .

3.5 million Israelis voted yesterday; about 53% of those eligible.

In Tel Aviv, leftist Mayor Ron Huldai won yet another term with a solid victory over his Deputy Mayor.

In Jerusalem, there will be a run-off between Ofer Berkovitch and Moshe Lion (backed by haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism). Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin who was heavily supported by PM Netanyahu was soundly defeated.

In Haifa, Labor party candidate Dr. Einat Kalisch Rotem, a professor at the Technion,  became the first female mayor of the city defeating incumbent Yona Yahav.

Here in Ashdod, Likud party candidate and incumbent Dr. Yehiel Lasry won another term.

TODAY’S BLOG:

Election Day: How Do You Vote In Israel?

Yesterday was municipal election day in Israel. As such, it was a public holiday with picnics in the park, thousands at the beaches, and shopping malls and restaurants packed.

The voting process here is both different and similar to that in the United States (the other place where your humble servant votes).

To begin with, the voting places are located in schools, gyms, and other types of buildings which are conveniently located in neighborhoods. Our voting place yesterday was at the Ofek Elementary School which is situated about 200 meters from our house.

Once we walked over to Ofek, we were immediately immersed in a carnival like atmosphere. Unlike in the U.S. where no electioneering can take place with 100 yards of a polling place, all political parties set up balloon-festooned booths all around the entrance to the building:

Running the gauntlet.

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In and around these booths, party members attempt to corral voters and persuade them to vote for their candidates:

Your humble servant’s wife at the table of “The Lionesses”–a political party made up of women. They won 2 out of the possible 29 seats in the Ashdod City Council yesterday. The man on the large banner behind her who was running for mayor, lost.

Once inside, the next step is to find out which room to vote in:

Checking where each neighborhood was to vote. It tuned out that we voted in Room 200.

And then it was time to stand in line:

Our section of Ashdod is known for being one of the heaviest voting spots in the city with citizens very actively engaged in the political process. It’s a lot of fun to stand in line and gab with your neighbors.

People are permitted inside one at a time (only 1 voter in the room at a time):

You hand your teudat zeut (Israeli ID card) to the man at the table who checks the voter roll to see if you are on it. Then he gives you two envelopes, a white one in which to vote for mayor, and a yellow one for city council. He keeps your ID while you go vote in the booth.

Actually, there is not really a booth, just a table with a partition on it to afford you privacy. Inside the booth are white slips of paper with mayoral candidates printed on them, and yellow slips with party names for city council (you vote for a party, not an individual):

One slip of paper goes into the white envelope, one into the yellow one. You then seal the envelope, go out, and drop both in the box. Afterwards you collect your ID and leave the room…and the next person comes in.

Dropping in the box:

Your humble servant voting..

Voila, you have voted! Time for shopping and barbecue!