Not at any cost: The exceptional conditions that would allow postponing the elections

The article examines the legal conditions for postponing Knesset elections amid the security situation. The law requires a majority of 80 Knesset members, special circumstances preventing the vote, and minimal postponement. It reviews the postponement of elections during the Yom Kippur War, alongside specific postponement powers at polling stations during an alarm or attack.

The article reviews the legal framework for postponing Knesset elections, against the backdrop of the security situation and the public question of whether they can be held on schedule. It details the strict conditions set out in Section 9A of Basic Law: The Knesset, including a special law with a majority of at least 80 Knesset members, special circumstances preventing the vote, and minimal postponement. It recalls the only postponement of elections in the state's history, following the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when the law was passed with a majority of 67 to 1. It also reviews the powers of the Chairman of the Elections Committee to postpone the opening of a polling station or halt voting during an alarm, as well as special regulations set for the upcoming elections for the 26th Knesset. The article emphasizes the inherent conflict of interest of the Knesset in deciding on postponing its own term, and the importance of judicial review by the High Court of Justice.