From New Zealand to California: Israeli elections get underway around the world

The elections for the 26th Knesset have begun with the opening of polling stations at Israeli missions abroad. Approximately 4,800 state emissaries and their families will vote at 101 polling stations in 99 missions, from New Zealand and Fiji to the US West Coast. The acting director-general of the Central Elections Committee declared the start of voting as "a holiday for democracy." Ambassador Yonatan Peled set a record by voting for the eighth time from abroad.

The elections for the 26th Knesset have begun worldwide, with the opening of voting at Israeli missions abroad. Approximately 4,800 state emissaries and their eligible family members can exercise their right to vote at 101 polling stations set up in 99 missions around the world. Voting opened at the Israeli Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, on October 14 at 11:00 PM Israel time, followed by the embassy in Suva, Fiji. The voting moves westward across the globe and will continue for about 30 hours, with the last polling stations closing on the US West Coast, in Los Angeles and San Francisco, on Friday, October 16 at 6:00 AM Israel time. The largest polling station will operate at the Israeli Consulate in New York, with over 700 eligible voters. Behind the operation is a logistical effort by the Central Elections Committee and the Foreign Ministry, including training teams, transferring election materials, and coordinating across time zones. The acting director-general of the Central Elections Committee, Attorney Dean Libena, stated: "The elections have begun! Election day is a holiday for Israeli democracy." Ambassador Yonatan Peled, who has served for 35 years in the Foreign Ministry, set a record by voting for the eighth time from abroad, in four different countries over four consecutive election cycles.