Israel is approaching the final stretch of its election season, and diplomatic missions around the world have already exercised their democratic right to vote. Thousands of overseas workers cast ballots, driving turnout to unusually high levels—from New Zealand to Los Angeles.
The Central Elections Committee announced Friday that voting at Israel’s diplomatic missions worldwide has concluded. No less than 86.7% of eligible voters cast ballots in the Knesset 26 elections at Israeli missions around the world—a jump of 17.1 percentage points compared to the Knesset 25 elections. In raw numbers, 4,218 voters out of 4,863 eligible voters at the missions participated.
Voting took place at 101 ballot boxes set up in 99 Israeli missions around the world. It opened at Israel’s embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, due to time zone differences, and wrapped up at polling stations on the U.S. West Coast. Following the vote, ballot envelopes will be transferred to Israel according to standard procedures for counting as part of the Knesset 26 elections.