Number Crunching

By RICKY BEN-DAVID
voting ballots 298 AJ (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
voting ballots 298 AJ
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
NIS 206,844,000 is the budget of the Central Elections Committee. NIS 135,000,000 is expected to be spent the day of the voting. 5,278,985 eligible voters 34 parties are competing for a spot in the 18th Knesset 9,263 polling stations (not final) 1,319 polling stations with access for the handicapped 194 polling stations in hospitals 56 polling stations in prisons and detention centers 92 polling stations abroad in embassies and consulates 5,636 registered voters eligible to vote abroad (estimated) 494,646 the number of people registered to vote in the Petah Tikva area with 887 polling stations, the highest in the country 55,000 people will man polling stations including station secretaries, Elections Commitee members, drivers, and managers. NIS 1,725 the salary each polling station secretary will receive for elections day starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 2 a.m. approximately. Salary also includes five hours of training NIS 500 the salary each polling station member will receive for elections day starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 2 a.m. approximately NIS 1,219,900 million a funding unit the state allocates to each party for every MK it has for the purpose of campaign funding. 60% is given before the elections, 25% after the elections and the final 15% after the state comptroller's approval 5 maximum number of funding units a new party is entitled to receive, if it can provide bank guarantees for the funds. If a party fails to pass the voter threshold it must return the money it received from the Elections Committee NIS 1,900 maximum contribution a party is entitled to receive from any one contributor 86.9% voter turnout in 1949 81.6% voter turnout in 1959 81.7% voter turnout in 1969 78.5% voter turnout in 1981 77.4% voter turnout in 1992 62.3% voter turnout in 2001 68.9% voter turnout in 2003 63.5% voter turnout in 2006 * This is a partial list, for the full list of voter turnout in all government votes throughout Israel's history, see here