date in Israel, the polling stations will be opened all over the world as the Israeli diplomatic missions will begin voting around the world.
Israel’s up-coming general election for the 21st Knesset will take place on April 9, 2019. On that date, out of 8.5 million Israelis, 6.3 million with eligible voting rights, will vote in over 10,000 polling stations.
However, today, 5,137 Israeli voters, including employees of the State of Israel and representatives of the national institutions serving abroad, will vote in 96 Israeli Embassies and Consulates in 77 countries around the world.
The voting will start with Israel's representatives at the Embassy in Wellington, and will end after 24 hours, with the last polling station of the Israeli consulate in New York.
At the end of the vote, the delegations will send the polling stations to the Knesset via the diplomatic mail of the Foreign Ministry, where they will be placed in a special safe box until the end of the official election day in Israel.
Here in Bangkok, Israeli Government officials posted in Thailand will also exercise their voting rights, today at the Embassy premises. Israel's Ambassador to Thailand, H.E. Dr. Meir Shlomo, who voted together with his wife at the Embassy, said "After Thailand, it is now the turn of Israel to embark on general elections. In every elections day, we are celebrating the fact that we are enjoying a very vibrant and solid democracy. We are exercising today’s one of our most fundamental rights in democracy and doing it with great excitement and hopes for our shared future."
Background
Israel is a parliamentary democracy, since the day of its establishment in 1948. Israeli fundamental declaration of Independence, was based on the core value that all citizens are equal, irrespective of gender, religion, or race. The rights of every Israeli are fully protected, in law and in practice.
The Israeli Parliament, is located in Jerusalem, and is called the Knesset. It comprises of 120 Members of Knesset, who are elected for a four-year term, by the public – based on a proportional representation voting system.
The party leader who enjoys the confidence of a majority of Members of Knesset (MKs) (usually from a coalition of parties) forms the government and becomes the Prime Minister.
Israelis bear a strong sense of solidarity and involvement in their society. Average voting rates are normally high and reach around 72%.