Local elections in Israel in the shadow of war: Participation falls behind 2018

Voter turnout in local elections has dropped due to Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip and the ongoing clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A report by the Israel Hayom newspaper stated that voting has concluded in the local elections, which are held every five years in the country and were postponed from October 31, 2023, to February 27, 2024, due to the Israeli army's relentless attacks on Gaza.

The report noted that voter turnout was low compared to previous elections.

It was reported that in Israel, which has 7.2 million eligible voters, the turnout rate, which was 53 percent in 2018, fell to 49 percent, corresponding to approximately 3.5 million voters.

Elections were not held in 14 local municipalities, including towns and cities that Israel evacuated near the Gaza border and the Lebanese border. Israelis living in these regions will cast their votes on November 19.

Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, in a statement made shortly before the polls closed, said, "We are approaching 50 percent in voter turnout; considering the circumstances, it is a significant number."

According to a report by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the elections were marked by incidents of violence and corruption.

In Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, a number of people were detained on charges of offering bribes to a mayoral candidate.

The Israeli police announced that 18 suspects were detained for crimes such as violating election law, obstructing the election, and disturbing public order, and that 62 cases have been opened.

The final results of the elections are expected to be announced in about a week, as it will take time to count the approximately 400,000 double-envelope ballots from displaced Israeli voters near the Gaza and Lebanon borders.

The double-envelope system is used for voters who cannot cast their ballots at their registered polling station to send their votes by mail.