Israelis Abroad Begin Voting in General Elections

Voting for Israelis stationed abroad commenced on Thursday, 12 days before the general elections in Israel. Approximately 4,800 Israeli representatives and their eligible family members worldwide can cast their ballots at 101 polling stations in 99 Israeli missions. This includes diplomats, government employees, and their families. The voting process began in Wellington, New Zealand, on October 14th at 11 PM Israel time, and continued in Suva, Fiji, shortly after. The voting will span approximately 30 hours, moving westward across the globe, with the final polling stations closing in Los Angeles and San Francisco on October 16th at 6 AM Israel time. The largest polling station will be at the Israeli Consulate in New York, with over 700 eligible voters.

A joint operation by the Central Elections Committee and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs manages the logistics, including training polling staff, transporting materials, coordinating across time zones, and ensuring election integrity. Two election command centers, one at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and another at the Central Elections Committee, operate in tandem to address emerging issues and monitor the voting process. Ambassador Aviva Raz Shechter, head of the Elections Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the process as the culmination of months of meticulous preparation, emphasizing it as a celebration of democracy where Israeli representatives abroad are the first to exercise their right to vote for the 26th Knesset.

Adv. Dean Livna, acting Director-General of the Central Elections Committee, stated, "The elections have begun!" and highlighted the continuous nature of the voting as it follows the sun. He stressed the importance of ensuring this fundamental right for all Israeli representatives and their families serving abroad. The committee is utilizing advanced control and oversight systems to guarantee a secure and fair election process. Following the conclusion of voting, ballot envelopes will be transferred to Israel for counting.

Ambassador to Rome Yonatan Peled, 65, has set a unique record by voting abroad for the eighth time during his 35-year career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Israeli law permits citizens to vote abroad only if they are registered diplomats or official envoys. Peled's career path has led him to vote in eight different countries across eight election cycles. He previously voted in Istanbul, Argentina, Washington, Miami, Mexico City, and Canberra, and now in Rome. He expressed pride in serving one country, Israel, regardless of differing political views among diplomats.