Though at 10 PM, the television exit polls will become the main issue of interest, until then the central topic will be the percentage of voter turnout. Of the five million eligible voters, about 10% are abroad and are, by and large, not expected to return to vote. In addition, surveys have shown that the trend of recent years both in Israel and around the world towards less voter participation is likely to continue today as well.
In the last three Knesset elections, voter turnout has plummeted from approximately 79% in both 1996 and 1999 to under 69% in 2003. In between, the election for Prime Minister in 2001 drew a record low of just under 60%.
Of the 31 parties in the running, only between 10-14 parties are expected to make it into the Knesset. Only those parties that receive at least 2% of the valid votes - roughly, 1,000 times the percentage of voter turnout - will have representation. Thus, if 65% of the electorate turns out to vote, parties such as Baruch Marzel's Hazit and the Pensioners will have to pass a threshold of some 65,000 votes in order to enter the Knesset. Two Arab parties appear to be certain of passing, and another Arab party and Green Leaf are also hoping to get in.
Several parties have signed pre-election "surplus votes" agreements. The Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu, for instance, agreed that if they each receive enough for an extra partial-seat in the Knesset, the party with fewer such surplus votes would "contribute" them to the other, enabling the latter to receive an extra seat.
The other party-pairs that signed "surplus votes" agreements are Labor/Meretz,
Shas/United Torah Judaism, and two Arab parties.
The remaining surplus votes - not including those of parties that did not pass the threshold, which are thrown out - will be divided up in a system known as the Bader-Ofer method. The system generally gives preference to the larger parties, but smaller parties have also been known to gain a seat at the end of the counting.
Government offices, schools and banks are closed today, and hospitals are operating on a reduced, Sabbath basis. Public transportation has been stepped up to enable voters to reach their polling stations.
Votes will be counted in one of the government complex buildings in Jerusalem. Hundreds of computer terminals are hooked up to the polling stations around the country, as well as to the television studios so that preliminary results can be broadcast in real time. Special stations have been set up to count the votes of soldiers, hospital patients, embassy personnel and prison inmates. No naval votes will be counted this time, as no Israeli ship currently has the necessary minimum of 14 Israelis aboard.
The security establishment is on absolute top alert, with no fewer than 85 warnings of possible terrorist attacks under consideration. Some 15-20 of these warnings are considered "specific." The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization is actively involved in trying to perpetrate attacks. Close to 25,000 policemen are deployed around the country.
In the last three Knesset elections, voter turnout has plummeted from approximately 79% in both 1996 and 1999 to under 69% in 2003. In between, the election for Prime Minister in 2001 drew a record low of just under 60%.
Of the 31 parties in the running, only between 10-14 parties are expected to make it into the Knesset. Only those parties that receive at least 2% of the valid votes - roughly, 1,000 times the percentage of voter turnout - will have representation. Thus, if 65% of the electorate turns out to vote, parties such as Baruch Marzel's Hazit and the Pensioners will have to pass a threshold of some 65,000 votes in order to enter the Knesset. Two Arab parties appear to be certain of passing, and another Arab party and Green Leaf are also hoping to get in.
Several parties have signed pre-election "surplus votes" agreements. The Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu, for instance, agreed that if they each receive enough for an extra partial-seat in the Knesset, the party with fewer such surplus votes would "contribute" them to the other, enabling the latter to receive an extra seat.
The other party-pairs that signed "surplus votes" agreements are Labor/Meretz,
Shas/United Torah Judaism, and two Arab parties.
The remaining surplus votes - not including those of parties that did not pass the threshold, which are thrown out - will be divided up in a system known as the Bader-Ofer method. The system generally gives preference to the larger parties, but smaller parties have also been known to gain a seat at the end of the counting.
Government offices, schools and banks are closed today, and hospitals are operating on a reduced, Sabbath basis. Public transportation has been stepped up to enable voters to reach their polling stations.
Votes will be counted in one of the government complex buildings in Jerusalem. Hundreds of computer terminals are hooked up to the polling stations around the country, as well as to the television studios so that preliminary results can be broadcast in real time. Special stations have been set up to count the votes of soldiers, hospital patients, embassy personnel and prison inmates. No naval votes will be counted this time, as no Israeli ship currently has the necessary minimum of 14 Israelis aboard.
The security establishment is on absolute top alert, with no fewer than 85 warnings of possible terrorist attacks under consideration. Some 15-20 of these warnings are considered "specific." The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization is actively involved in trying to perpetrate attacks. Close to 25,000 policemen are deployed around the country.