Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, and his wife Revital stand next to a voting booth as Israelis began voting in a parliamentary election, at a polling station in Rosh Ha’ayin, Israel April 9, 2019. Photo: REUTERS/Nir Elias.
Tuesday finally marked the day of the Jewish state’s repeatedly-delayed municipal elections, initially planned for October but pushed back due to the war with Hamas. According to law, soldiers are able to vote all day at the various polling stations, including 12 in Gaza that were opened last week to allow those fighting in unpredictable situations to vote early.
An estimated 7.2 million Israelis, including almost 750,000 first time voters, are eligible to vote in the five year municipal election cycle – the next cycle only planned to be four years due to the delay. There are 242 municipalities with elections across the country, including over 11,000 polling stations. Included in the voters are 10,177 prisoners, according to the prison system, who can vote at one of the 61 polling stations set up in Israeli prisons.
Due to the complexity of counting ballots cast in the midst of battle, it is anticipated that results for the elections will not be announced for at least a few days. It is estimated that some 400,000 soldiers will be eligible to vote in the municipal elections, and per the IDF, roughly 30,000 soldiers voted prior to 10 A.M. local time.
President Isaac Herzog called on all Israelis to vote.
“The local government affects our lives in a very dramatic way, every life circle of Israeli citizens is handled by the local authorities,” he said. “Therefore, if we really want to influence the direction of our lives, it is best to go out and vote in the elections for the local authorities, this has been proven on several occasions And how in a war, in an emergency situation, we see the municipality and the local authority and council handling and facing a multitude of challenges and nothing more important than that.”
Members of hostage families are showing up at polling stations, hoping to voice their plight electorally.
“I also ask and tell everyone, you will see various booths and polling stations that represent the families of the abductees and above all our demand — demand and prayer to see the abductees and the abductees at home soon,” Herzog added. “Please, approach them, hug them, sympathize with them, and give a real sense of brotherhood and solidarity, that Israel guarantees each other – because there is no greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives.”
Even some soldiers are running in the election.
An estimated 4,000 reservists are on party lists across the country, many of whom are unable to leave their duty and campaign. This fact caused outcry by some politicians, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who said in December that the elections must be further postponed.
Due to the war, 11 municipalities in the north and south are not casting ballots due to the fact that they have been evacuated. Their elections are scheduled for November 19, 2024.
