Israelis Abroad Begin Voting for 2026 Elections

Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba

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Hebrew · 19 newsrooms covering

Voting for Israel's 2026 elections began at diplomatic missions abroad, starting in New Zealand and proceeding westward, with the last polls closing in California. President Isaac Herzog called for calm, framing the elections as a democratic celebration. Overseas voting is limited to eligible diplomats and envoys, with situation rooms managing the process. Ballots will be sent to Israel for counting for the 26th Knesset.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Voting for Israel's 2026 elections commenced at diplomatic missions worldwide on Thursday.
President Isaac Herzog urged citizens to participate in the elections, calling them a celebration of democracy.
The voting process spans approximately 30 hours, moving westward across time zones.
Overseas voting is restricted to eligible diplomats, government envoys, and their families.
Joint situation rooms are monitoring the election process at Israeli embassies and consulates globally.
Ballot envelopes from abroad will be sent to Israel for counting for the 26th Knesset.

Israelis Abroad Begin Voting for 2026 Elections — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Voting for the 2026 Israeli elections has commenced at the country's diplomatic missions worldwide, 12 days before polling stations open in Israel. President Isaac Herzog urged for calm in the political discourse, emphasizing that elections are a celebration of democracy and not a civil war. He encouraged all citizens to exercise their right to vote and influence the nation's future.

The voting process began in Wellington, New Zealand, at 11:00 PM Israel time on Thursday, and continued in Suva, Fiji, shortly after. The balloting proceeds westward across time zones and is expected to last approximately 30 hours, with the final polling stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco closing at 6:00 AM Israel time on Friday.

In New York, the consul reported that voting is underway from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time. Participants include consulate staff, members of the Ministry of Defense's procurement mission, representatives from the Israeli UN delegation, and Jewish Agency envoys. The consul estimated nearly a thousand envoys would vote there, while the Central Elections Committee data shows over 700 registered voters at the New York polling station.

Unlike voting within Israel, participation at overseas missions is restricted to specific eligible groups, including diplomats, Foreign Ministry employees, envoys from various government ministries and attachés, and their qualifying family members.

The Foreign Ministry and the Central Elections Committee are operating joint situation rooms to manage and monitor the voting process globally. This includes training teams, transferring election materials, ensuring security, and overseeing the integrity of the elections. Dean Livna, Acting Director-General of the Central Elections Committee, stated that the committee employs control and monitoring systems to guarantee a proper and secure voting process, even from afar. Upon completion, ballot envelopes will be transferred to Israel for vote counting for the 26th Knesset elections.