News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Three out of four Americans in Israel who have cast absentee ballots for next week's presidential election support Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama, according to a survey conducted by Vote from Israel, a nonpartisan group that has encouraged Americans to vote. An exit poll was one of the features Vote from Israel had at a Tuesday session for submitting ballots that was held at the Jerusalem offices of the Orthodox Union.

The Associated Press reports an estimated 40,000 Americans living in Israel are expected to vote. Pollster Mitchell Barak interviewed 817 of them and told the AP he believes his survey is a good indicator on how they will choose. Barak said most American immigrants to Israel are observant Jews who tend to have conservative social views and hawkish attitudes toward the Mideast peace process.