not everywhere· Politics· Updated 01:53

Israeli Diplomats Begin Voting Abroad for Upcoming Knesset Elections

Voting for Israel's 26th Knesset elections commenced abroad on Thursday, October 15, 2026, twelve days before the official election day in Israel. The first polling station opened in Wellington, New Zealand, at 11:00 PM Israel time, followed by voting at the Israeli mission in Suva, Fiji, which marked a historic first for the nation. The voting process will span approximately 30 hours across different time zones.

4 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 14 Oct, 21:40

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Israeli Diplomats Begin Voting Abroad for Upcoming Knesset Elections — Illustration by baba

What happened

01Voting for Israel's 26th Knesset elections began abroad on Thursday, twelve days before the official election day in Israel.
02Wellington, New Zealand, was the first diplomatic mission to open its polling station at 11:00 PM Israel time.
03Approximately 4,800 Israeli envoys, diplomats, state representatives, and their families are eligible to vote globally.
04The voting process takes place at 101 polling stations across 99 Israeli missions worldwide over a 30-hour period.
05The Israeli Consulate in New York is the largest polling station, with up to 1,000 eligible voters according to Consul General Ofir Akunis.
06Voting concludes on Friday at 6:00 AM Israel time with the closing of polls in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
07All ballot envelopes will be securely transported back to Israel via diplomatic mail to be counted at the Knesset.

Approximately 4,800 Israeli envoys, diplomats, state representatives, and their eligible family members are participating in the elections. Voting is taking place at 101 polling stations located across 99 Israeli missions globally. The largest polling station is in New York, where Consul General Ofir Akunis noted that nearly 1,000 envoys, including consulate staff, the UN delegation, and the Ministry of Defense's procurement delegation, are eligible to vote.

The overseas voting period will conclude on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 6:00 AM Israel time, with the final polls closing on the West Coast of the United States in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The complex logistical operation is managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Elections Committee. All cast ballots will be transported back to Israel via diplomatic mail to be delivered to the Knesset for counting as double envelopes.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 01:41

Latest report: The Jerusalem Post. Read The Jerusalem Post’s original