Election officials reported today that 1,850,000 Israelis have registered to vote in the Oct. 29 national elections. Israel has a population of over 2.5 million.
The registration books, which have closed, contain for the first time, the names of Israelis residing in the occupied Arab territories, including Hebron, the Etzion region and the Golan Heights. For the first time, Israeli seamen and passengers aboard Israeli ships at sea will be permitted to vote by absentee ballots. The same applies to soldiers in Army camps and civilians working in defense plants away from their homes.
Israeli politicians meanwhile showed concern that their election campaign might peak too soon. Leaders of the Labor Party-Mapam alignment have agreed to a three-week hiatus in campaigning to begin after the Histadrut elections Sept. 2 and last until Sept. 26. This will allow approximately one month for electioneering. Under Israeli law, campaigns must end a day prior to elections, in this case on Oct. 28.
The political parties have been given an extra day to file their lists of candidates for the Knesset elections. The deadline is Sept. 24, two days after Yom Kippur. Originally, the law provided that lists must be filed one day after the Day of Atonement.
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