Director of the Elections Committee of the Knesset, Orly Ades, attends a Finance committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on February 3, 2026.
Elections Committee chief Orly Ades resigns ahead of Knesset vote
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- Orly Ades steps down after 16 years as head of the Central Elections Committee.
- Resignation comes months before upcoming Knesset elections, despite request to stay.
Orly Ades, the long-serving director general of the Central Elections Committee, has announced her resignation after 16 years in office, just months ahead of the next Knesset elections.
Her decision, confirmed Thursday, was submitted to Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg, who oversees the committee. Sohlberg said Ades declined his request to remain in her position until after the elections.
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“I regret this, but I respect her decision,” Sohlberg said, praising her “endless professionalism and determination” in safeguarding electoral integrity.
Ades has led the Central Elections Committee since 2010, overseeing seven national election campaigns. This included a particularly turbulent period between 2019 and 2022, when 'Israel' held five consecutive elections.
Throughout her tenure, she was credited with managing complex logistical and legal processes aimed at maintaining the functioning of the electoral system during repeated political deadlock.
According to Sohlberg, Ades will remain in her role until the end of July to ensure an orderly transition and continuity in preparations for the upcoming vote.
He stressed that the committee’s work continues “day and night” as staff prepare for the election period, describing their mission as ensuring “fair, equal and free elections” as a cornerstone of 'Israeli' democracy.
Ades’s early departure is expected to trigger the process of selecting a successor ahead of a sensitive electoral period. The committee is responsible for organizing and supervising national elections, including candidate registration and vote administration.
Her resignation comes at a time when election preparations are already underway, with officials emphasizing continuity in operations despite the leadership change.
