Knesset Panel Advances Election Bill Amid Ballot-Access Fight

The Knesset Constitution Committee approved the 26th-Knesset election bill for first reading, subject to revision, after a stormy fight over access rules for the October election. Provisions for ballot stations in non-nursing retirement homes, overseas voting for national-service volunteers and family-paid party membership fees were removed or left outside the agreed text. The Central Elections Committee had backed nursing-home, assisted-living and elderly-housing ballots for roughly 35,000 to 37,000 residents, while coalition MKs objected on equality and political-impact grounds. The Israel Democracy Institute's bill analysis supports wider voting access but calls for careful drafting around election-integrity provisions. Israel's election law should protect broad access, clean procedure and public confidence.