Elections (Modes of Propaganda) Law: the sections this site discusses

What the law provides

Section 2A of the Law sets a central prohibition: funds or assets, tangible or intangible, of an “audited body”, including government ministries, local authorities and other public bodies subject to state audit, may not be used in connection with election propaganda. The Law recognizes two exceptions: the use of halls and open public places that are normally available for such use (section 2A(1)), and the use of assets that the State placed at the disposal of a minister, deputy minister or Knesset member, or that the local authority placed at the disposal of the head of the authority (section 2A(2)). In decisions of May–June 2026 (including CEC case (תב״כ) 28-31, 33/26), the Chairperson of the Central Elections Committee held that filming propaganda in a minister’s office is a prohibited use of a public resource. On 16 July 2026 the Knesset added to the exception in section 2A(2) the words “including filming as such, in the office of any of them” (Amendment No. 42). The exception applies to the filming itself, and does not detract from restrictions on the use of assets imposed under any law or ethics rules.

When a breach is discovered, section 17B authorizes the Chairperson of the Central Elections Committee for the Knesset to issue an injunction, but only after giving the party concerned an opportunity to present their arguments. In practice, such requests are filed as urgent petitions to the Chairperson (who is a serving Supreme Court justice), who examines the evidence and decides within a short time, sometimes within a few days before election day. I have filed several such petitions myself. In CEC case 28-31, 33/26 (31 May 2026) it was held that a minister’s office is a public resource for the purposes of section 2A and that propaganda may not be filmed there, until Amendment No. 42 excluded “filming as such” in the office.

A numerical example

The head of a local authority uses the authority’s budget to fund the production of a propaganda clip calling on voters to choose his list in the coming elections, and publishes it on the authority’s official account. This is a use of funds and assets of an audited body (the local authority) in connection with election propaganda, contrary to section 2A, and it is not “filming as such” in the office, which section 2A(2) excludes. A political rival can request an injunction under section 17B prohibiting further distribution of the clip. In elections to municipalities and local councils, the request is heard before the chairperson of a regional elections committee appointed for this purpose, and that chairperson’s decision can be appealed to the Chairperson of the Central Elections Committee (section 17D).

For the detailed guide on the use of public resources in election propaganda and on filing a petition to the Chairperson of the Elections Committee, see Use of public resources in election propaganda: what section 2A prohibits and A petition to the Chairperson of the Central Elections Committee: how it works, and the page Election and propaganda law.

The sections the site discusses

This page brings together 2 sections of the Elections (Modes of Propaganda) Law that are discussed in 7 guides on this site. The title of each section is the marginal note of the consolidated version of the Law (unofficial translation), not a heading we wrote. The last column links to the guides on this site that discuss that section.

The original text of the law

• Elections (Modes of Propaganda) Law, 5719-1959: text of the Law
• Elections to the Twenty-Sixth Knesset (Special Provisions and Legislative Amendments) Law, 5786-2026 (חוק הבחירות לכנסת העשרים ושש (הוראות מיוחדות ותיקוני חקיקה), התשפ״ו-2026): Sefer HaHukim 3546, section 8(2) (Knesset, PDF) (in Hebrew)
• Elections (Modes of Propaganda) Law: consolidated version on Nevo (Israeli legal database)

FAQ

Which assets count as “public resources” that may not be used for election propaganda?
Funds and assets, tangible and intangible, of an audited body, including government ministries and local authorities, except for two exceptions: halls and open public places that are normally available for such use, and assets placed at the disposal of a minister, deputy minister, Knesset member or head of a local authority, including, since 16 July 2026, filming as such in their office (section 2A(1)–(2)).

Who may issue an injunction against prohibited election propaganda?
The Chairperson of the Central Elections Committee for the Knesset, after giving the party concerned an opportunity to present its arguments (section 17B). In elections to municipalities and local councils, also the chairperson of a regional elections committee appointed for this purpose (section 17D).

Does a minister’s office count as a public resource for the ban?
Yes, but with a qualification since July 2026. In CEC case 28-31, 33/26 (31 May 2026), the Chairperson of the Central Elections Committee held that a minister’s office is a public resource and that election propaganda may not be filmed there. On 16 July 2026 the Knesset added to the exception in section 2A(2) the words “including filming as such, in the office of any of them”, and since then filming as such in a minister’s office is not a prohibited use under section 2A. The amendment did not extend the exception beyond the filming itself.

This page collects the references to legislation on the site. The section headings are the marginal notes as worded in the consolidated text of the law, and are not our interpretation. The binding text is the one published in Sefer HaHukim (the official gazette of statutes). The content here is general information and is not legal advice. Translated: 13 November 2026 · Hebrew version updated: 13 October 2026.