Israelis Abroad Fly Home to Vote in October 27 Election

Thousands of Israelis who live overseas are expected to fly back to Israel to vote in the country's national election, which is scheduled for October 27. The Associated Press has reported that Israelis living in Canada are making the trip home for the vote.

The reason for the travel lies in Israel's voting rules. Under the Knesset Elections Law, the Knesset being the country's parliament, private citizens living abroad cannot vote unless they come to Israel, according to a Knesset press release. Citizens may vote only at the polling station near their official address in Israel. The exception covers Israeli citizens serving abroad on official business, who may vote at Israeli embassies and consulates.

The scale of the travel is large. The New York Times reported that thousands of Israelis living in the United States are expected to fly to Israel to vote. The Times of Israel reported that tens of thousands of Israeli expatriates are expected to return ahead of the election.

The vote is the first national election since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, the assault by the armed group that set off the war in Gaza. Reuters has explained how the election works and who is in the race.

The New York Times has also published a video feature on the expatriate vote. It describes the election as tight and says the thousands of Israelis returning to cast ballots have sparked debate over how much political influence they hold.