How does rain affect voting and how many ballots can you put in an envelope?

Globes' fact-checking desk publishes 11 lesser-known facts about Election Day in Israel, including debunking the myth that rain lowers voter turnout, explaining the setting of the third Tuesday of Cheshvan, rules for inserting ballots into envelopes, the timing of official results publication, the legally mandated envelope color, the use of letters on ballots, and the meaning of a blank ballot.

Ahead of the elections, Globes' fact-checking desk publishes 11 lesser-known facts about Election Day. The article begins by debunking the myth that rain lowers voter turnout, noting that the first Knesset elections, held on a stormy winter day, yielded the highest voter turnout to date – 87%. It also explains that elections are set for the third Tuesday of Cheshvan to allow for bureaucratic organization and vote counting before Shabbat, and that up to three identical ballots may be placed in an envelope. The article details that the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Solberg, announced that voter turnout figures would be published at least four times during the day, and that official results are expected by November 4 at the latest, though the committee estimates only two days will be needed. It further notes that envelope color is legally mandated as blue, and that the use of letters on ballots is intended to assist new immigrants. The article clarifies that a blank white ballot is not a protest vote but is considered invalid, and identifies Rishon LeZion as the city most representative of national voting patterns. Finally, it reports on free intercity public transportation and Israel Railways service starting the evening before the elections.