US Voting More Than Doubles in First Week of 2025 World Zionist Congress Election

With voting open through May 4, American Jews are choosing the representatives who make key decisions on allocating over $1 billion in annual support for Israel and world Jewry.

New York, N.Y., March 17, 2025 — 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. 

The First Zionist Congress, the genesis of the modern Zionist movement, was convened by Theodor Herzl in 1897. It was at this meeting that great minds and leaders from throughout the Jewish world jointly proclaimed that the Jewish people should have a state of their own. Following this year’s election, the 39th World Zionist Congress will convene in Jerusalem from October 28th-30th, 2025. The election and Congress take place once every five years. 

The five years since the previous World Zionist Congress election in 2020 have seen several seismic crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Israel’s ongoing multifront war. This strongly positions the 2025 election to serve as an uplifting and unifying force for diverse voices and constituencies across the Jewish community, all in support of the vibrancy of Zionism.

Over 2,900 of candidates, from 43 U.S. states and territories, are running in the 2025 World Zionist Congress election — representing an over 60% increase in candidates from the 2020 election. The candidates are running across the following 22 slates, which are listed in ballot order (based on random drawing).

• SHAS
• VISION
• VOTE REFORM
• Kol Israel – Standing Together to Strengthen Israel and the Jewish People
• ORTHODOX ISRAEL COALITION (OIC) – MIZRACHI: On the Frontlines for Israel’s Future
• ANU: A New Union – A NextGen Big Tent for the Jewish American Consensus
• Israel365 Action – Vote AGAINST the two state “solution” and FOR Judea and Samaria!
• Achdut Israel
• Am Yisrael Chai: Investing in Jewish leadership, fulfilling our destiny
• Aish Ha’am
• ERETZ HAKODESH: Protecting the Kedusha and Mesorah of Eretz Yisrael
• Beyachad – TOGETHER FOR ISRAEL
• AID Coalition (America-Israel Democracy): The Israeli-American Voice to Rebuild Israel
• ZOA Coalition: The 30+ Leading Orgs Defending Jews-Students-Israel-Judea-Samaria
• HATIKVAH: The Progressive Slate-Vote For Change & Hope-A Better Future in Israel
• MERCAZ USA: The Voice of Conservative/Masorti Judaism
• Dorshei Torah V’Tzion: Torah and Israel for the Future of All Jews
• Americans 4 Israel: Strength Through Unity
• The Jewish Future — Centrist Liberal Zionism
• American Forum for Israel
• Israeli American Council (IAC) – A Coast to Coast Community with Israel at Heart and Spirit
• HERUT NORTH AMERICA – The Jabotinsky Movement 

VOTE TODAY at zionistelection.org.

WATCH HERE to learn more about the election and its significance.

For election-related questions, contact [email protected] or 212-339-6944.

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