Israel Elections: How many eligible voters per city?

Although Jerusalem is twice as large as Tel Aviv, the number of eligible voters in Tel Aviv is higher.

By YAIR ASSAF-SHAPIRA
A voting box in the last Israeli election in 2015 (photo credit: REUTERS)
A voting box in the last Israeli election in 2015
(photo credit: REUTERS)
 In a few days we will go to vote for the Knesset. There are about 6.6 million eligible voters, of which about 423,000, or 6.4% are registered in Jerusalem, according to data from the Central Election Committee. Although Jerusalem is twice as large as Tel Aviv, the number of eligible voters in Tel Aviv is higher at 439,000. The reason is, of course, that among the Arab residents of Jerusalem, who constitute 38% of the city’s population, the vast majority hold the status of permanent residents and are not citizens. These residents are entitled to vote for the Jerusalem City Council, but are not entitled to vote for the Knesset. Jerusalem is home to 209,000 Arabs aged 18 and over.
In addition, the percentage of children aged 0-18 in Jerusalem is relatively high, standing at 39%. This percentage is slightly higher than the percentage in Israel (33%), and very high compared to Tel Aviv (21%).
Jerusalem residents will vote at about 740 ballot boxes located at about 200 polling stations, most of which are located in educational buildings or community council buildings. The number of ballot boxes in Tel Aviv is slightly higher (about 750), but the number of polling station concentrations in it is slightly lower (about 180), possibly due to the city’s compact form, compared to Jerusalem.
Out of the 200 polling stations, seven are in the Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, with about 17,000 eligible voters. One of these concentrations (Beit Safafa Elementary School) includes accessible polling stations. Those with the right to vote in Arab neighborhoods include Arabs who have the status of citizens, and it is also possible that Jews live in those neighborhoods.
In addition to the regular polling stations, there will be 365 ballot boxes stationed at 242 hospital institutions. Some 32 of them will be located in institutions in Jerusalem, including hospitals and nursing homes. These polling stations will also serve the COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Jerusalem.
It should be noted that, according to CBS data, after deducting citizens staying abroad for a long time (some of them even died abroad without being deducted from the population registrar), those with the right to vote living in Israel total about six million men and women.
Happy and successful voting!