Election Panel Debates Overseas Voting for Service Volunteers and Polling Stations in Nursing Homes

The Knesset Constitution Committee, chaired by MK Simcha Rothman of Religious Zionism, met Monday to discuss a series of election-law changes promoted by Central Elections Committee director general Dean Leibner ahead of the coming elections. The proposals include allowing national service volunteers serving abroad to vote through Israeli diplomatic missions, and reinstating polling stations in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, both of which are politically contentious.

Rothman said he wanted election changes approved only by broad agreement between coalition and opposition, and that any proposal without consensus should not advance. On the issue of women doing national service abroad, he argued it would affect only about 150 to 250 voters. Opposition members objected, but did not completely rule out the move because of the small number involved.

The nursing-home proposal has drawn stronger resistance in the coalition, which fears it would help Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman. Supporters of the objection argue that residents of non-nursing assisted living and retirement homes tend to be relatively higher-income and are often seen as an opposition-leaning electorate. The plan does not apply to severely dependent elderly residents, since a nursing ward with 50 hospitalized residents is treated like a hospital and already receives a ballot box.

Under the bill’s wording, ballot boxes would be placed in assisted-living facilities, Ministry of Housing homes for low-income residents, and public housing complexes for immigrants who remained eligible to live there after retirement age. MK Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beytenu dismissed the criticism, saying, "Let’s get past the stereotypes... to reject it or say it helps one party or another is stupid and wrong." The committee heard that this population is close to one Knesset seat, totaling about 35,000 to 37,000 people. Deputy head of the Elections Committee, attorney Dean Leibner, said the overseas voting plan is being examined with the Ministry for National Missions and involves 150 to 240 eligible voters, adding, "We have no objection."