Home is Where the Ballot Box Is...

Over the past week, there have been a number of articles debating whether or not Israelis who are overseas during elections should have the right to vote. Currently, only those residing in Israel at the time of the elections (and who can physically make it to the ballot box are entitled to vote. Only Israeli consular / government officials(and their families) can vote from overseas.

In the most recent article, the Jerusalem Post reports:

"That was fast. Tuesday's Post reported that a bill to allow absentee voting in Israeli elections was "likely to advance in the Knesset this week." Thursday's paper reported that "the bill was rejected" this time around.

The vote was 25 to 23, and some might call it unfair. The only Knesset members voting were the ones in their seats at the time. If voting rights were granted to MK’s outside the chamber, maybe those MK’s in turn would be more likely to grant voting rights to citizens outside the country.

According to the news reports, it's a political thing. "The Left opposes absentee voting because it reduces the weight of the Arab vote."

Geez...