NEW YORK (Press Release) — Voting in the U.S. has more than doubled after the first week of the 2025 World Zionist Congress election, compared to the previous election in 2020 for the body known as the “parliament of the Jewish people.”
Administered by the American Zionist Movement (AZM), the U.S. voting in the 39th World Zionist Congress election — open now through May 4th, 2025 — offers Jews across the U.S. their most powerful opportunity to have their voice heard in Israel’s future, make an impact on Jewish communities worldwide, and proudly stand up for Zionism. With 53,213 votes coming in during the first week of the 2025 election (March 10th-16th), up 122% from the first week of voting in 2020, this year’s election is firmly on pace to shatter the prior record of 123,575 votes. By comparison, there were 23,938 votes cast in the first week of the 2020 election, and roughly 7,639 in the first week of voting in 2015.
The 152 delegates who will be elected to represent the U.S. — amounting to approximately one-third of the Congress — will join with others from around the world to make key decisions regarding the leadership and priorities of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemet LeIsrael (KKL-JNF), The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and Keren Hayesod. These decisions dictate the course of over $1 billion in annual funding that is allocated to support Israel and world Jewry.
“We are gratified to see the unprecedented voter participation in the election’s first week and anticipate that this pattern will continue throughout the voting period,” said Herbert Block, Executive Director of AZM. “By turning out in record numbers, American Jews are showing they are proudly Zionist and are sending a clear message that the stakes for the Jewish and Israeli future are higher than ever.”
Registration and voting are underway until May 4th at zionistelection.org. In addition to the online voting, paper ballots are available on request. The fee to register and vote is $5, which goes to cover the operating costs of the election.
To be eligible to vote in the U.S. election to the 39th World Zionist Congress, you must:
- Be Jewish (and not subscribe to another religion)
- Be 18 years or older by June 30, 2025
- Be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident in the U.S.
- Maintain your primary residence in the U.S.
- Accept the Jerusalem Program (the Zionist movement platform)
- Have not voted in the November 2022 Knesset election (and will not vote in any future Knesset election which may be held prior to July 28, 2025)
An all-time-high 22 slates representing diverse political beliefs, religious denominations, and cultural traditions are competing in this year’s World Zionist Congress election. This marks a 57% surge from the 14 slates whose candidates won seats in the Congress in 2020, positioning the American Jewish community to turn out a record number of voters and by consequence, to have a more influential voice than ever in advancing a multitude of high-priority Jewish and Zionist causes. Those causes include (but are not limited to) support for the most vulnerable members of Israeli society; the humanitarian and rebuilding response to the October 7th attacks; cultivating Jewish identity in Israel; Aliyah to Israel from around the world; fostering connection between Israel and world Jewry; Zionist education; and bolstering security at Jewish institutions.
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Preceding provided by the American Zionist Movement