Israel Heads to Polls for 26th Knesset Elections

By אפרת ברינר

Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba

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Hebrew · 7 newsrooms covering

Israel is holding elections for the 26th Knesset today, with over 7.3 million eligible voters casting ballots at 12,018 polling stations. Special arrangements are in place for hospitalized patients, prisoners, and those with disabilities. Most polls close at 10:00 PM, with preliminary results expected overnight. Voting abroad saw an 86.7% turnout.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Over 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote in the 26th Knesset elections.
Polls opened at 7:00 AM and will close at 10:00 PM, with exceptions for some locations.
Special voting arrangements are provided for hospitalized patients, prisoners, and those with disabilities.
12,018 polling stations are set up across Israel, with 102 abroad.
The electoral threshold is 3.25% of valid votes for parties to enter the Knesset.
Turnout for Israelis voting abroad was 86.7%.

Israel Heads to Polls for 26th Knesset Elections — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israel is holding elections for the 26th Knesset today, with polls opening at 7:00 AM across the country. Over 7.3 million eligible voters are expected to cast their ballots at 12,018 polling stations. This represents an increase of over half a million voters since the previous election in November 2022.

Special voting arrangements are in place for various populations, including hospitalized patients, prisoners, detainees, and individuals with mobility impairments. There are 250 polling stations in hospitals, 55 in prisons and detention centers, and 102 stations at Israeli embassies abroad. Approximately five communities of evacuees also have designated voting options.

Most polling stations will remain open until 10:00 PM, though some in smaller communities and specific institutions will close earlier. Voters must present valid identification, such as an ID card, driver's license, or passport. The electoral threshold, set at 3.25% of valid votes, will determine which parties enter the Knesset.

Voting abroad concluded with a 86.7% turnout among eligible voters at diplomatic and consular missions, a significant increase from the previous election. The Central Elections Committee is expected to release preliminary results overnight, with official results due within eight days, though they anticipate completion by Thursday afternoon.