The election for 21st Knesset is underway abroad, while in Israel, Election Day is on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Outside of Israel, there will be 96 polling stations for Israelis wishing to cast a ballot.

Almost 5,000 Israelis living abroad will be able to vote; including civil servants working abroad at various embassies around the world, as well as Jewish Agency employees, employees of Keren HaYesod, employees of Keren Kayemet, and employees of the World Zionist Organization.

The voting ballots will be held in double envelopes and the ballot boxes will be sent to Israel and will remain closed until Election Day in Israel.

The 96 polling stations abroad will open in 77 regions around the world and will be able to vote at the Israeli diplomatic facilities where there are polling stations, starting in New Zealand and ending in San Francisco, on Friday morning.

The Knesset Voting Law of 1969 in the beginning provided for seamen only to vote abroad. Voting “on land” only took place in Israel, however, at the end of 1990, there was a 21st Amendment to that law, which states, “And in the diplomatic and consular missions of Israel” – and the term “and” also includes government employees and diplomats serving abroad.

Around the world, 115 countries allow citizens residing outside their country to vote.

In the past, proposals were made to draft legislation that would allow Israeli citizens residing abroad to vote in the elections with provisions (such as in Canada – a statement by the resident who intends to return to the country he left, or a temporary right to vote for only a few years, as in Australia), but such legislation has not advanced in Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)