ISRAEL'S ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Elections for the Knesset

Israel has an electoral system based on country-wide proportional representation. For the purpose of elections Israel is a single voting area, and the number of seats each party receives in the Knesset is determined on the basis of its proportion of the total vote. The only limitation is the 1.5% qualifying threshold, by which a party must receive at least 1.5% of the vote to be elected. According to this system, the voters elect a party slate and not a particular candidate.

Parties and lists
Since the elections to the 14th Knesset (1996), only parties registered under the 1992 Parties Law, or lists made up of several parties, or a registered party running together in a single list with additional groups and individuals can participate in the elections.

A party cannot register if it rejects the Jewish and democratic nature of the State of Israel, incites to racism, or there is reason to believe it will function as a cover for illegal activities.

Who can stand for election?
Each party has its own method of building its slate of candidates. Candidates must be Israeli citizens without an additional citizenship and at least 21 years old. They cannot have served a prison sentence of five years or more for an offense against state security, unless five years have passed since their release. A court can also deny a person the right to run. The following cannot be candidates for the Knesset: the president of the state; the two chief rabbis; civil and religious judges; the state comptroller; the chief of General Staff; senior civil servants and religious officials, who receive a salary from the state. There are also legal limitations barring members of an outgoing Knesset who have left their original parliamentary groups from running with other parties in the next elections. These limitations do not apply to MKs who served in the 14th Knesset and have now joined the Center Party, which is a new party.

Who can vote?
Any Israeli citizen who is at least 18 years of age. With few exceptions (such as employees of Israeli embassies) Israeli citizens cannot cast absentee ballots from abroad. Voters must vote in the polling station where they are registered. They must present a valid identity card.

Frequency of elections
The Knesset elections take place once every four years, but the Knesset can decide to hold early elections (as in the current case), and under certain circumstances can serve for more than four years.