Israeli expatriates must return to vote

Israeli citizens living abroad are required to return to the country to cast their votes, as Israel does not allow mail-in voting, proxy voting, or voting at consulates. This requirement has led to the creation of programs that help expatriates travel back for elections.

Fly & Vote program helps travelers

The "Fly & Vote" program, launched by AID Coalition, an American-Israeli organization formed during the 2023 protests against Netanyahu's judicial reform, provides airplane tickets to Israeli expatriates for the October 27 election. However, the program cannot offer the tickets directly to participants.

High demand for the program

As of early September, over 30,000 Israelis living abroad had registered for the program, out of approximately 630,000 expatriates. The demand is strongest from the United States, particularly New York, and from major European cities like London, Berlin, and Lisbon.

Expatriate demographics and voting trends

Israeli expatriates are often from urban areas, are graduates, and are largely secular, working in fields such as technology, research, medicine, and other high-skilled professions. These groups, concentrated in the Tel Aviv region, were central to the opposition against the judicial reform and tend to support centrist, left-wing, or anti-Netanyahu right-wing candidates.

Concerns over the program’s legality

The success of the "Fly & Vote" program has raised concerns among Netanyahu's supporters. The Likud party has threatened to file a complaint with the Central Election Commission, arguing that the assistance could be seen as a form of electoral corruption or an illegal political donation. The NGO AID Coalition denies providing funds for the tickets and claims it does not select participants based on their political views.

Travel costs not covered by the state

While public transportation is free within Israel on election day, the state does not reimburse travel costs for those living abroad. Some expatriates have purchased their own tickets, with one person reporting they paid the highest price they have ever paid for a flight, buying directly from El Al.