Elections. Elections. Elections.
Supreme Court Judge Hanan Melcer, chairman of the Central Elections Committee has been busy.
The media has been working overtime trying to explain the forty-plus political parties.
A trip to the Modi’in Industrial Park last month took us to see the Central Election Logistic Center.
The security gate and entrance inside at the site is only a first step.
This is the only slide I may show you from the introductory presentation.
Not sure why as we were allowed to photograph everything else in the building.
Perhaps it was because there were English spelling or grammar mistakes on so many slides?
In operation since 2004, the election logistic center consists of this vast warehouse.
People working 24/6 to sort and pack the 12,000 paper boxes to go to polling stations.
Counting paper clips for boxes. Hospitals and prisons receive boxes also.
In hi-tech Israel, each piece of paper is put in by a person, and a real person checks the contents.
For the army and overseas government officials ballots were prepared in advance, and organized from this control room. They received two envelopes, ten days before election. For the first time not only diplomats overseas can vote, but so can Jewish Agency employees stationed abroad.
Papers, pens, envelopes and paper ballots, require 100% accuracy.
Then they are wrapped up tight, and sealed with big rolls of plastic wrap.
This election required new ballot boxes to hold all the parties.
Transportation of the heavier boxes is just one detail of the massive project.
400,000,000 ballots, 140 million more than last election.
There will be 250 tons of paper to recycle after it is all over.
Israeli election day is an official holiday.
Businesses are closed. Schools are closed. But national parks are open.
On the way home after the visit to the logistic center, loaded with pages of parties, spokespersons, and headquarters, Walter found a new use for his microphone cover.
If there is no new government formed in 90 days, no clowning around, no joke, we get to do this again folks.
No one I know wants the phone calls, survey questions, or negative campaigning.
One good thing, it is only 90 days, and not two years of campaigning as in the US.
The Central Elections Committee has moved to the Knesset to count the ballots.
With so many people still undecided, stay tuned for results.
One sure thing, you never know what well happen next on the Jerusalem streets.
Updated April 9, 2019 after voting midday:
And there they were ready for action.
The paper ballots in aleph-bet order. So many as to be confusing.
Random survey of people on street after voting, just happy for this to be over.
Some things have not changed since Knesset 19 voting, so adding post from January 2013
HEREDifficulties with accessibility remain.
It doesn’t get easier watching the elderly votes having to do those stairs! But they came to vote.
