Overseas Israelis Return Home to Vote in Elections

Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba

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Hebrew · 2 newsrooms covering

Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have returned to Israel to vote in the recent elections, potentially influencing a close race. The influx has also boosted hotel occupancy by 23%. Some voters, like Zehava from New York, returned specifically for the Likud party, while others combined voting with family visits. However, some Israelis residing in the country will miss voting due to pre-planned international travel.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Tens of thousands of Israelis abroad returned to vote, potentially impacting close election results.
Hotel occupancy saw a 23% increase during election week due to returning Israelis and special offers.
Voters traveled from New York, Miami, Australia, and Canada to participate in the elections.
One voter, Zehava, stated she returned from New York specifically to vote for the Likud party.
Some Israelis residing in the country will miss voting due to pre-planned international vacations.

Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have timed their visits to Israel with the election day, with some returning specifically to cast their ballots. These voters, coming from locations like Miami, New York, Australia, and Canada, could potentially influence the election outcome if the results are close. While estimates suggest around 70,000 Israelis from abroad might vote, it's difficult to predict their preferences, though some speculate a portion may support the "change bloc." In the 2022 elections, approximately 36,000 votes were needed for a Knesset seat, a threshold expected to rise slightly to 38,000-39,000 this year due to population growth and anticipated higher turnout.

The election day has also impacted the hotel industry, with Africa Israel Hotels reporting a 23% increase in occupancy compared to the previous year. This rise is attributed partly to attractive election-week packages. The Fattal hotel chain also offered discounts for voters, noting reservations from abroad that suggest Israelis are coming home to vote. Many Israelis combine their trip with family visits and vacations, staying with relatives or friends, while others opt for hotels.

Individuals shared their motivations for returning. Nuria, accompanied by her son and grandson who flew in from Canada, stated they were combining family visits with voting, noting her grandson was voting for the first time. Ofer and his wife flew from New York specifically to vote and see family, planning to return to the US the day after the election. Gidi and his wife traveled from Australia three weeks prior for family and friend visits before returning to work commitments. Zehava explicitly stated she returned from New York to vote for the Likud party and visit family.

Conversely, some Israelis residing in the country will be abroad on election day. Racheli from Ramat Gan expressed regret that she would miss voting for the first time due to a pre-planned vacation to Vietnam, booked a year in advance, lamenting that Israelis traveling abroad cannot vote remotely.