Fly&Vote estimates that about 67,000 Israelis living abroad intend to return for Israel’s Tuesday, Oct. 27, election, a figure The Jerusalem Post likened to roughly 1.7 Knesset seats.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the estimate came from analysis of Fly&Vote registration data. It represents prospective travelers, not a verified count of people who have arrived in Israel. The initiative is operated by AID Coalition.
A voluntary survey of about 23,000 Israelis abroad, conducted from Oct. 12 to 21, found that 79.6% of respondents intended to travel to vote, The Jerusalem Post reported. The survey was not representative of all Israelis living abroad, and its published results do not report respondents’ party preferences.
Israel’s Central Elections Committee says most citizens living abroad must return to vote in person. Exceptions allow certain employees of state and national institutions working abroad, along with qualifying family members, to vote at Israeli diplomatic missions. AID Coalition describes Fly&Vote as nonpartisan and says participants cover their own travel expenses.
The Jerusalem Post’s comparison uses about 40,000 votes per Knesset seat to put the estimate at roughly 1.7 seats. That calculation does not show how travelers might vote. Israelis elect a 120-member Knesset through party lists, and a governing majority requires 61 seats. The Associated Press reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to remain in office after serving more than 18 years across three terms.
Some travelers told The National they wanted a change in government. Shirley Segal described the election as critical and said it was important to “change the government.” Her comment is an individual account, not evidence of the wider group’s political preferences.
The Central Elections Committee has scheduled the vote for Oct. 27 and publication of the results by Nov. 4.
