Elections 2009 / Voting already underway for IDF and Border Police

While most Israelis will go to the polls Tuesday to vote in the parliamentary elections, Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Border Police officers have already begun casting their ballots.

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The law allows IDF personnel to vote early, and some went to the polls beginning Saturday night.

Around 700 stationary and mobile polling booths are expected to be set up for IDF and Border Police personnel, including IDF officers who are abroad, soldiers serving on Israel Navy ships and some Israel Air Force officers.

The mobile polling booths will move between different units in the field.

IDF soldiers stationed at posts near Mt. Hermon in the north will vote on Monday in order to avoid stormy weather conditions expected in the area on Tuesday. The soldiers' votes will be tallied by the Central Elections Committee.

During the elections for the 17th Knesset, out of the 63.2 percent of soldiers who voted, 62 percent of them cast their ballots at army polling booths. IDF soldiers are, however, allowed to vote as ordinary citizens at the poll nearest to their homes.