Israeli voter turnout hits 74.3% by 8 p.m. (Israel time), surpassing 2022 final tally
Turnout topped the 2022 final figure two hours before polls closed, and exit polls show no clear majority for either bloc.
JNS
3
mins read time
Originally published at
JNS
Israelis stand in line to cast their ballots at a polling station on Election Day, Oct. 27, 2026. Photo courtesy of Liron Moldovan/Flash90.
By JOSHUA MARKS
Voter turnout in Israel’s election for the 26th Knesset reached 74.3% by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, already exceeding the final turnout of 70.63% in the 2022 election, according to the Central Elections Committee.
A total of 5,449,277 voters had cast ballots two hours before polling stations were scheduled to close. At the same hour in 2022, turnout stood at 66.3%—eight percentage points below Tuesday’s figure.
No extension
Participation rose from 66.7% at 6 p.m., when 4,892,186 voters had cast ballots. Acting director-general Dean Livne told reporters at the Knesset that the 6 p.m. reading was the highest recorded for that hour. The committee began measuring hourly turnout figures in 1973.
Turnout had stood at 55.7% at 4 p.m., also a record for that hour and up from 47.5% at the same time in 2022.
“The last time we saw similar voting numbers, we reached almost 80% nationwide,” Livne said when presenting the 4 p.m. figures.
The Central Elections Committee on rejected a request to extend voting beyond 10 p.m., saying there was no justification to do so.
The committee’s presidium considered the request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party and the haredi Shas party told JNS they had joined the appeal.
Public engagement
Otzma Yehudit cited heavy crowding and unusually long waits at polling stations across the country.
The committee said high nationwide turnout “across all sectors of society” demonstrated “strong public engagement in the democratic process.” It stressed that every voter who reaches a polling station by its closing time will be able to vote.
Updated locality figures published by the committee showed turnout of 83.5% in Sakhnin, 81.3% in Kafr Qasim, 80% in Elad, 79.8% in Rahat, 79% in Rosh Ha’ayin and 76.5% in Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut.
In that tally, Tel Aviv–Jaffa recorded the largest number of ballots cast, with 301,639 voters participating, representing turnout of 63.6%. Jerusalem followed with 282,870 voters, or 62%, while Haifa recorded 160,146 voters and turnout of 59.8%. Among other large cities, turnout reached 70.2% in Petach Tikvah, 68.6% in Rishon Letzion, 65.9% in Ashkelon, 65.3% in Ashdod and 63% in Beersheva.
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Right-wing concerns
Dr. Martin Sherman, head of the Israeli Institute for Strategic Studies, told JNS that increased participation appeared to reflect significant mobilization among Arab voters, which he viewed as a challenge for right-wing parties.
“High turnout for the Arabs is bad news for the right wing,” he said.
Sherman attributed opposition mobilization primarily to hostility toward Netanyahu and the dispute over haredi enlistment.
Turnout among Israel Defense Forces personnel reached 68% as of 5 p.m., compared with 65% at the same hour in the 2022 election, the military said.
Military voting began on Oct. 21, allowing soldiers and reservists to cast ballots early due to operational requirements. More than 850 polling stations, many of them mobile, were deployed at bases and outposts across operational arenas, including in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Sherman predicted that military and younger voters would bolster right-wing parties. Referring to first-time voters, he said they “will strengthen the right.”
Tuesday’s election for the 26th Knesset was Israel’s first general election since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
Originally published at: https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/israeli-voter-turnout-surges-to-record-66-7-by-6-p-m
Who will be prime minister?
According to The Jerusalem Post and other news outlets exit polls show no clear majority in Israel’s election. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc will have a clear path to a 61-seat governing majority. The count of the final vote is expected by Oct. 30.
Coalition negotiations will be dependent on smaller parties. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will make the decision which of the leading candidates should have the first 28 day opportunity to form a government. It may take weeks to know who can cobble together a government. Meanwhile Netanyahu will remain the caretaker prime minister.
ADVERTISEMENT
Israeli voter turnout hits 74.3% by 8 p.m. (Israel time), surpassing 2022 final tally
Turnout topped the 2022 final figure two hours before polls closed, and exit polls show no clear majority for either bloc.
JNS
3
mins read time
Originally published at
JNS
Israelis stand in line to cast their ballots at a polling station on Election Day, Oct. 27, 2026. Photo courtesy of Liron Moldovan/Flash90.
By JOSHUA MARKS
Voter turnout in Israel’s election for the 26th Knesset reached 74.3% by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, already exceeding the final turnout of 70.63% in the 2022 election, according to the Central Elections Committee.
A total of 5,449,277 voters had cast ballots two hours before polling stations were scheduled to close. At the same hour in 2022, turnout stood at 66.3%—eight percentage points below Tuesday’s figure.
No extension
Participation rose from 66.7% at 6 p.m., when 4,892,186 voters had cast ballots. Acting director-general Dean Livne told reporters at the Knesset that the 6 p.m. reading was the highest recorded for that hour. The committee began measuring hourly turnout figures in 1973.
Turnout had stood at 55.7% at 4 p.m., also a record for that hour and up from 47.5% at the same time in 2022.
“The last time we saw similar voting numbers, we reached almost 80% nationwide,” Livne said when presenting the 4 p.m. figures.
The Central Elections Committee on rejected a request to extend voting beyond 10 p.m., saying there was no justification to do so.
The committee’s presidium considered the request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party and the haredi Shas party told JNS they had joined the appeal.
Public engagement
Otzma Yehudit cited heavy crowding and unusually long waits at polling stations across the country.
The committee said high nationwide turnout “across all sectors of society” demonstrated “strong public engagement in the democratic process.” It stressed that every voter who reaches a polling station by its closing time will be able to vote.
Updated locality figures published by the committee showed turnout of 83.5% in Sakhnin, 81.3% in Kafr Qasim, 80% in Elad, 79.8% in Rahat, 79% in Rosh Ha’ayin and 76.5% in Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut.
In that tally, Tel Aviv–Jaffa recorded the largest number of ballots cast, with 301,639 voters participating, representing turnout of 63.6%. Jerusalem followed with 282,870 voters, or 62%, while Haifa recorded 160,146 voters and turnout of 59.8%. Among other large cities, turnout reached 70.2% in Petach Tikvah, 68.6% in Rishon Letzion, 65.9% in Ashkelon, 65.3% in Ashdod and 63% in Beersheva.
ADVERTISEMENT
Right-wing concerns
Dr. Martin Sherman, head of the Israeli Institute for Strategic Studies, told JNS that increased participation appeared to reflect significant mobilization among Arab voters, which he viewed as a challenge for right-wing parties.
“High turnout for the Arabs is bad news for the right wing,” he said.
Sherman attributed opposition mobilization primarily to hostility toward Netanyahu and the dispute over haredi enlistment.
Turnout among Israel Defense Forces personnel reached 68% as of 5 p.m., compared with 65% at the same hour in the 2022 election, the military said.
Military voting began on Oct. 21, allowing soldiers and reservists to cast ballots early due to operational requirements. More than 850 polling stations, many of them mobile, were deployed at bases and outposts across operational arenas, including in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Sherman predicted that military and younger voters would bolster right-wing parties. Referring to first-time voters, he said they “will strengthen the right.”
Tuesday’s election for the 26th Knesset was Israel’s first general election since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
Originally published at: https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/israeli-voter-turnout-surges-to-record-66-7-by-6-p-m
Who will be prime minister?
According to The Jerusalem Post and other news outlets exit polls show no clear majority in Israel’s election. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc will have a clear path to a 61-seat governing majority. The count of the final vote is expected by Oct. 30.
Coalition negotiations will be dependent on smaller parties. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will make the decision which of the leading candidates should have the first 28 day opportunity to form a government. It may take weeks to know who can cobble together a government. Meanwhile Netanyahu will remain the caretaker prime minister.
ADVERTISEMENT
Israeli voter turnout hits 74.3% by 8 p.m. (Israel time), surpassing 2022 final tally
Turnout topped the 2022 final figure two hours before polls closed, and exit polls show no clear majority for either bloc.
JNS
3
mins read time
Originally published at
JNS
Israelis stand in line to cast their ballots at a polling station on Election Day, Oct. 27, 2026. Photo courtesy of Liron Moldovan/Flash90.
By JOSHUA MARKS
Voter turnout in Israel’s election for the 26th Knesset reached 74.3% by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, already exceeding the final turnout of 70.63% in the 2022 election, according to the Central Elections Committee.
A total of 5,449,277 voters had cast ballots two hours before polling stations were scheduled to close. At the same hour in 2022, turnout stood at 66.3%—eight percentage points below Tuesday’s figure.
No extension
Participation rose from 66.7% at 6 p.m., when 4,892,186 voters had cast ballots. Acting director-general Dean Livne told reporters at the Knesset that the 6 p.m. reading was the highest recorded for that hour. The committee began measuring hourly turnout figures in 1973.
Turnout had stood at 55.7% at 4 p.m., also a record for that hour and up from 47.5% at the same time in 2022.
“The last time we saw similar voting numbers, we reached almost 80% nationwide,” Livne said when presenting the 4 p.m. figures.
The Central Elections Committee on rejected a request to extend voting beyond 10 p.m., saying there was no justification to do so.
The committee’s presidium considered the request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party and the haredi Shas party told JNS they had joined the appeal.
Public engagement
Otzma Yehudit cited heavy crowding and unusually long waits at polling stations across the country.
The committee said high nationwide turnout “across all sectors of society” demonstrated “strong public engagement in the democratic process.” It stressed that every voter who reaches a polling station by its closing time will be able to vote.
Updated locality figures published by the committee showed turnout of 83.5% in Sakhnin, 81.3% in Kafr Qasim, 80% in Elad, 79.8% in Rahat, 79% in Rosh Ha’ayin and 76.5% in Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut.
In that tally, Tel Aviv–Jaffa recorded the largest number of ballots cast, with 301,639 voters participating, representing turnout of 63.6%. Jerusalem followed with 282,870 voters, or 62%, while Haifa recorded 160,146 voters and turnout of 59.8%. Among other large cities, turnout reached 70.2% in Petach Tikvah, 68.6% in Rishon Letzion, 65.9% in Ashkelon, 65.3% in Ashdod and 63% in Beersheva.
ADVERTISEMENT
Right-wing concerns
Dr. Martin Sherman, head of the Israeli Institute for Strategic Studies, told JNS that increased participation appeared to reflect significant mobilization among Arab voters, which he viewed as a challenge for right-wing parties.
“High turnout for the Arabs is bad news for the right wing,” he said.
Sherman attributed opposition mobilization primarily to hostility toward Netanyahu and the dispute over haredi enlistment.
Turnout among Israel Defense Forces personnel reached 68% as of 5 p.m., compared with 65% at the same hour in the 2022 election, the military said.
Military voting began on Oct. 21, allowing soldiers and reservists to cast ballots early due to operational requirements. More than 850 polling stations, many of them mobile, were deployed at bases and outposts across operational arenas, including in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Sherman predicted that military and younger voters would bolster right-wing parties. Referring to first-time voters, he said they “will strengthen the right.”
Tuesday’s election for the 26th Knesset was Israel’s first general election since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
Originally published at: https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/israeli-voter-turnout-surges-to-record-66-7-by-6-p-m
Who will be prime minister?
According to The Jerusalem Post and other news outlets exit polls show no clear majority in Israel’s election. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc will have a clear path to a 61-seat governing majority. The count of the final vote is expected by Oct. 30.
Coalition negotiations will be dependent on smaller parties. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will make the decision which of the leading candidates should have the first 28 day opportunity to form a government. It may take weeks to know who can cobble together a government. Meanwhile Netanyahu will remain the caretaker prime minister.
ADVERTISEMENT
Israeli voter turnout hits 74.3% by 8 p.m. (Israel time), surpassing 2022 final tally
Turnout topped the 2022 final figure two hours before polls closed, and exit polls show no clear majority for either bloc.
JNS
3
mins read time
Originally published at
JNS
Israelis stand in line to cast their ballots at a polling station on Election Day, Oct. 27, 2026. Photo courtesy of Liron Moldovan/Flash90.
By JOSHUA MARKS
Voter turnout in Israel’s election for the 26th Knesset reached 74.3% by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, already exceeding the final turnout of 70.63% in the 2022 election, according to the Central Elections Committee.
A total of 5,449,277 voters had cast ballots two hours before polling stations were scheduled to close. At the same hour in 2022, turnout stood at 66.3%—eight percentage points below Tuesday’s figure.
No extension
Participation rose from 66.7% at 6 p.m., when 4,892,186 voters had cast ballots. Acting director-general Dean Livne told reporters at the Knesset that the 6 p.m. reading was the highest recorded for that hour. The committee began measuring hourly turnout figures in 1973.
Turnout had stood at 55.7% at 4 p.m., also a record for that hour and up from 47.5% at the same time in 2022.
“The last time we saw similar voting numbers, we reached almost 80% nationwide,” Livne said when presenting the 4 p.m. figures.
The Central Elections Committee on rejected a request to extend voting beyond 10 p.m., saying there was no justification to do so.
The committee’s presidium considered the request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party and the haredi Shas party told JNS they had joined the appeal.
Public engagement
Otzma Yehudit cited heavy crowding and unusually long waits at polling stations across the country.
The committee said high nationwide turnout “across all sectors of society” demonstrated “strong public engagement in the democratic process.” It stressed that every voter who reaches a polling station by its closing time will be able to vote.
Updated locality figures published by the committee showed turnout of 83.5% in Sakhnin, 81.3% in Kafr Qasim, 80% in Elad, 79.8% in Rahat, 79% in Rosh Ha’ayin and 76.5% in Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut.
In that tally, Tel Aviv–Jaffa recorded the largest number of ballots cast, with 301,639 voters participating, representing turnout of 63.6%. Jerusalem followed with 282,870 voters, or 62%, while Haifa recorded 160,146 voters and turnout of 59.8%. Among other large cities, turnout reached 70.2% in Petach Tikvah, 68.6% in Rishon Letzion, 65.9% in Ashkelon, 65.3% in Ashdod and 63% in Beersheva.
ADVERTISEMENT
Right-wing concerns
Dr. Martin Sherman, head of the Israeli Institute for Strategic Studies, told JNS that increased participation appeared to reflect significant mobilization among Arab voters, which he viewed as a challenge for right-wing parties.
“High turnout for the Arabs is bad news for the right wing,” he said.
Sherman attributed opposition mobilization primarily to hostility toward Netanyahu and the dispute over haredi enlistment.
Turnout among Israel Defense Forces personnel reached 68% as of 5 p.m., compared with 65% at the same hour in the 2022 election, the military said.
Military voting began on Oct. 21, allowing soldiers and reservists to cast ballots early due to operational requirements. More than 850 polling stations, many of them mobile, were deployed at bases and outposts across operational arenas, including in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Sherman predicted that military and younger voters would bolster right-wing parties. Referring to first-time voters, he said they “will strengthen the right.”
Tuesday’s election for the 26th Knesset was Israel’s first general election since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
Originally published at: https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/israeli-voter-turnout-surges-to-record-66-7-by-6-p-m
Who will be prime minister?
According to The Jerusalem Post and other news outlets exit polls show no clear majority in Israel’s election. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc will have a clear path to a 61-seat governing majority. The count of the final vote is expected by Oct. 30.
Coalition negotiations will be dependent on smaller parties. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will make the decision which of the leading candidates should have the first 28 day opportunity to form a government. It may take weeks to know who can cobble together a government. Meanwhile Netanyahu will remain the caretaker prime minister.
ADVERTISEMENT
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© 2026 The Jewish World · Since 1965 - The Capital Region's gateway to Jewish life
Designed and Developed by Ta-Da Studios
© 2026 The Jewish World · Since 1965 - The Capital Region's gateway to Jewish life
Designed and Developed by Ta-Da Studios
© 2026 The Jewish World · Since 1965 - The Capital Region's gateway to Jewish life
Designed and Developed by Ta-Da Studios