Election Day: Feb. 10, 2009

Find Out Where You Vote

Where to vote   

Option 1: Online
You can find your voting station by clicking here   http://www.gov.il/firstgov for the government website. It is not available in English. Simply scroll down a bit and copy the numerical code left to right and then enter your nine-digit identity card (teudat zehut) number.

Option 2: 1-800 Information Numbers:

The Election Committee operates telephone information centers for those who need to clarify their voting stations and if they have the right to vote.

English:   1-800-200-135
Hebrew:  1-800 200-131/2
Russian:  1-800-200-133
Spanish:  1-800-200-136
Amharic: 1-800-200-134
Arabic:     1-800-200-132
Computerized answers are available at 1-800-200-137
People with hearing problems can obtain information via Fax number 1-800-200-130

Operators man the telephones in several languages from 16:00-21:00 (4-9  p.m.) from Sunday, Feb. 1 through Thursday, Feb. 5th and on Friday Feb. 6 from 08:00-12:00 (8 a.m.-noon). On Sunday Feb 8th hours return to 4:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Monday Feb 9th and Tuesday Feb 10th (election day), the service will be available from 07:00-22:00 (7 a.m.-10 p.m.).

Make sure you have your identification card number available.

Handicapped voters can cast ballot in special polling stations designed for accessibility. Addresses of these polling stations are available from the telephone information centers listed above.

Voters living 20 or more kilometers (12.4 miles) from their voting stations are entitled to free public transportation back and forth. A free bus ticket can be obtained from a post office. Present an identity card or driver’s license or the voting notice that was sent in the mail. Eilat voters located in central Israel, or central Israel voters in Eilat, must register with Egged (03-694888) before Election Day for free tickets. Free train tickets will be made available at train station ticket offices on Election Day only.

Eligibility:  All citizens of Israel age 18 and above have the right to participate with the following conditions: Israeli citizenship as of Dec. 12, 2008, age 18 no later than February 10, 2009 and appearance on the official Population Registration as of Dec. 12, 2008.

Voting

Election Day is considered an official holiday off of work, however public transportation will operate normally. All polling stations are open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. In small communities where the number of voters is less than 350, the voting hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Those still waiting in line when the polling stations close will be permitted to vote, but one who arrives after closing time will not be permitted to vote.

In order to vote, it is necessary to produce one of the following identification documents: ID card (teudat zehut) with photograph, valid Israeli passport with photograph or valid Israeli driver’s license with photograph.

No one but the voter knows how he casts his ballot. The voting both prevents anyone else from seeing the voter, who is provided with an envelope in which he places the symbol of the party he chooses.

Knesset Parties: A party must receive at least two percent of the total certified votes in order to be represented in the Knesset.

Major Party Symbols

New Arab Party- òí
Balad - ã
Green- ø÷
Green-Meimad- ä
Hadash- å (vav)
Ichud Leumi (National Union)- è
Israel Is Our Home (Yisrael Beiteinu)- ì
Jewish Home- á Meretz-  îøö
Kadima- ëï
Labor-àîú
Likud- îçì
Pensioners (Gil)- æê
Ra'am- ÷
Shas - ùñ
Tzomet- õ
Yehadut HaTorah (UTJ)- â

The Polling Station and the Voting Booth

The voter identifies himself to the polling committee with one of the documents listed above.

Once the voter’s name is located on the voters list, the voter then receives an envelope with the words “Elections for the 18th Knesset” appearing on it. The envelopes are sealed and darkened inside, and have the stamp of the Central Elections Committee, the head of the Central Elections Committee, and the signatures of two members of the polling committee. The voter enters the voting booth. Inside is a display of voting slips for each candidate list. There are also blank white slips.
 
Voters cast their ballots for a list of candidates. Each candidate list is represented on a ballot by an initial or initials as well as by the name of the party.

The voter selects a slip for the list of candidates he/she wishes to vote for. Voters may choose one slip only, which is then placed into the envelope. The voter must close the envelope. One may also use a blank slip to cast a ballot. In such a case the voter must indicate on the slip, in his/her own writing (in Hebrew or Arabic only) the symbol [Hebrew letter(s)] of the list he/she is casting a vote for.

The voter then exits the booth, and personally places the closed envelope into the ballot box, in view of members of the polling committee. It is important for the voter to obey any further instructions on the part of election officials in order to ensure secrecy.

Only one ballot may be placed into the envelope. An envelope found to contain two or more slips from different lists, or three or more slips for the same list, is invalid. An envelope that contains two slips for the same list is considered valid, although only one vote will be counted.