An election for President of Israel was held in the Knesset on 21 May 1963 following the death of the president Yitzhak Ben-Zvi on 23 April. Author, poet and politician Zalman Shazar was elected to the office.
Between Ben-Zvi's death and Shazar taking office on the day of the vote, Knesset speaker Kadish Luz served as acting president.
Candidates
There were two candidates:
- Zalman Shazar: A member of the Knesset for Mapai, and former Minister of Education and editor of the Davar newspaper.
- Peretz Bernstein: A member of the Knesset for the Liberal Party, former Minister of Trade and Industry and a signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence.
Results
The election was settled in the first round, with Shazar gaining an outright majority of votes in the 120-seat Knesset.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zalman Shazar | Mapai | 67 | 67.00 | |
| Peretz Bernstein | Israeli Liberal Party | 33 | 33.00 | |
| Total | 100 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 100 | 93.46 | ||
| Invalid votes | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| Blank votes | 7 | 6.54 | ||
| Total votes | 107 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 120 | 89.17 | ||
External links
- Presidential elections Knesset website (in English)
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