Announcement of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee 15 March 2015
Israeli Missions Around The World MFA Press Room 2015 Announcement of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee 15 March 2015

Announcement of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee

  •   Rights of the voters, secrecy of the ballot, and purity of elections
  • 3/15/2015
    •    
    Every voter has the absolute right to cast their ballot. The vote is free and according to their conscience, for one list of candidates that is running in the elections for the Knesset.
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    Central Elections Committee Central Elections Committee
     
     
    The following announcement is made in accordance with Section 16 of the Knesset Elections Law (Propaganda Methods) - 1959:

    1. Every voter has the absolute right to cast their ballot. The vote is free and according to their conscience, for one list of candidates that is running in the elections for the Knesset.

    2. The vote is by secret ballot.
    • In each polling station there is a voting booth that hides the voter while s/he is casting a ballot.
    • The envelopes holding the ballot slips are insulated. The voter, and only the voter is allowed to put the ballot slip into the envelope. The voter may seal the envelope if desired.
    • The voter, and only the voter, is allowed to place the envelop containing the ballot slip into the ballot box. In the ballot box, the envelope will get mixed together with the other envelopes, thus ensuring secrecy.
    It must be emphasized that only a voter who is ill or has a relevant handicap and cannot manage alone the actions needed for voting, may be helped by another person who will accompany him/her to the polling station. Such a person may not be a director or employer of the institution where the voter is living. A voter with limited mobility may vote in a polling station that is deemed accessible. Details and locations may be found here (in Hebrew).

    3. The law establishes severe punishments for any corruption related to the elections, or interference with the procedures on Elections Day or with the act of an individual's voting, or voting that is related to any crime.

    4. Any person who does one of the following can expect to be punished:
    • Gives or offers a bribe to a voter regarding whether or not s/he votes
    • Receives or agrees to receive a bribe regarding his/her vote
    • Promises or denies employment or threatens termination of employment to a voter regarding the voter's choice of list of candidates.
    • Influences the voter's choice of a list of candidates through the use of oaths, curses, excommunication, or blessings.
    • Interferes with the regular proceedings of Elections Day.
    • Interferes with a voter while voting or prevents the voter from voting.
    • Presents identification to the Polling Station Committee that does not belong to him/her.
    • Votes more than once.

    5. The Central Elections Committee does everything possible to insure that each citizen votes freely and according to his/her conscience.

    6. I call on all citizens who are elligible to vote to exercise their democratic right on Elections Day, thereby influencing the future of the State of Israel.

    Salim Joubran
    High Court Justice
    Chairman of the Central Elections Committee for the 20th Knesset