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Residents of border communities vote after more than a year of evacuation
On Tuesday, 18 February, Israel is holding the first round of municipal elections in the settlements of the northern regions, whose residents have been evacuated for more than a year due to the security threat.
Elections are held in the following municipalities:
Kiryat Shmona
Shlomi Local Council
Regional councils: Galil Elyon, Mevot a-Hermon, Ma’aleh Yosef, Merom a-Galil
Betzet settlement (Mata Asher Regional Council) – elections to the settlement committee
Number of voters and polling stations
70,000 citizens have the right to vote.
212 polling stations were opened:
129 – in the northern regions
83 – in different cities of the country for evacuees
Some polling stations operate on military bases
Peculiarities of elections in hromadas
There will be no elections in Shlomo, as there is only one candidate and one list running for office – the winner will simply be announced officially.
The situation is the same in the village of Arab al-Aramsha (Mata Asher Regional Council).
Voting schedule
Polling stations will be open until 22:00.
In hromadas with a population of less than 350 people, voting will end at 20:00.
Second round of elections
If none of the candidates receives 40% of the vote, a second round of voting will be held on 4 March.
What do these elections mean?
This is the first vote in evacuated communities, symbolising a return to normalcy in the northern regions of Israel. However, many residents have not yet returned to their homes due to the security situation, and polling stations are open to them in temporary locations.
The results of the vote will show which political forces will have an impact on the recovery of these regions after the crisis.
