Municipal Elections in Israel Underway

Municipal elections are being held Tuesday across Israel. In these elections, residents will vote for mayors and local council members in nearly every municipality in Israel.

Not included are 11 municipalities and regional councils along the northern border and adjacent to Gaza, from where some 180,000 residents have been evacuated due to ongoing fighting.

Polling sites began operating at 7 a.m. for over 7 million Israelis who are eligible to vote for their mayors and local councils in 197 towns and cities, as well as representatives for 45 regional councils. Polling sites in most locales will remain open until 10 p.m., though in some communities and military bases they will close earlier.

Israel’s inaugural nationwide local elections since 2018 were originally planned for Oct. 31 but were deferred to Jan. 31 in the aftermath of the attack on Oct. 7. They were further postponed due to the significant number of reservists on active duty.

Security personnel will be conducting assessments every two hours during the day to guarantee the safety of voters. According to a police statement on Tuesday morning, 19,000 police officers, bolstered by security personnel and volunteers, will patrol polling stations, highways, and busy public areas across the country throughout the day.