195,000 Israelis applied to be polling station secretaries
The Central Elections Committee recorded a two-fold increase in the number of candidates compared to the previous elections, but only about 35,000 will be accepted for the position. On Wednesday, registration will open for 14,000 election integrity inspectors.
The selection process for the position of polling station secretaries for the 26th Knesset elections begins today, Sunday, after 195,000 citizens submitted their candidacies. This is double the number compared to the previous elections, competing for only 35,000 available positions.
The Central Elections Committee concluded the registration period, which closed on Friday, with an unprecedented response and a high average score in the online screening tests. Out of all applicants, only those who successfully pass the in-person interviews at the regional committees and a final certification exam will be assigned to work on election day.
The compensation for managing a polling station stands at 3,000 shekels gross, subject to a special fixed tax of 18 percent. The salary incorporates the training time, travel expenses, and the use of a personal phone on election day itself, and no additional expense reimbursements will be paid for it.
The polling station secretary is the senior professional official on the ground, responsible for managing the voting from its start until its closing, including identifying voters and transferring the results and envelopes to the committee. Citizens aged 21 and over with at least 12 years of schooling are eligible to apply for the position. One of the main threshold requirements is absolute political neutrality; therefore, those who have been members of a party or acted on its behalf in the last three years cannot be accepted for the position.
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