In the local elections held for 197 municipal authorities and 44 local councils, about seven million people are eligible to vote.
In honor of the Israel Municipal Elections Day, Google Doodle released a unique illustration on Tuesday, February 27. The Israeli flag is shown prominently on the ballot box in the doodle, signifying the democratic voting process. The word 'Google' appears in the backdrop, albeit partially hidden by the ballot box in the front. This doodle, which was created especially for Israeli users, celebrates the democratic movement in that nation and was inspired by Google.
In the 197 municipal authorities and 44 local councils holding local elections, over seven million voters are able to cast ballots for mayors or heads of local councils. Seventeen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand voters are expected to cast ballots in seventy-five cities, with two different options available to them: one for the council leader and another for a council slate.
There are a significant number of candidates (24,910) competing for spots on 4,500 party slates in this vast electoral terrain. Notably, 83 of the mayoral candidates are female, demonstrating a diversity of representation.
It's crucial to remember, too, that due to security concerns, polls in several areas close to Gaza and those that share borders with Lebanon are scheduled for a later date—specifically, November 19. As a result, almost 180,000 residents of these areas will abstain from voting in the current election cycle. The violence in the territories have resulted in the displacement of some Israelis.
Following Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, which according to an official AFP tally claimed at least 1,160 lives, the elections were postponed nationally.
Strict security precautions have been put in place by the Interior Ministry of Israel, Israel Police, and the IDF Home Front Command to guarantee a safe and easy voting procedure. Director General Ronen Peretz reaffirmed the commitment to protecting the electoral process by stating that security checks will be carried out every two hours on election day.
