The blank ballot strategy

Abstract

A fact that was largely suppressed, is that the Israeli elections in 1996 were, in effect, decided by the blank-ballots of the left. Non- parliamentary left groups have called the left voters to put in a blank ballot, rather than voting for Peres. In the final count, Peres only needed 30.000 more votes to be reelected and there were (at least) 80.000 blank ballots. There are many similarities in the questions the pre-elections situation has posed to the left in Israel and the USA, so it may be worth it to look at the Israeli experience with some detail.