Israel Votes in 26th Knesset Election Amid War Concerns
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Israel opened polling stations Tuesday for the 26th Knesset elections, with over 7.3 million eligible voters participating in the first election since the October 7th attack. Key issues include voter turnout, the formation of the next government, and the performance of smaller parties facing the 3.25% electoral threshold. Results are expected overnight, with final official results due by November 4th.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Over 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote in the 26th Knesset elections held on Tuesday.
- This is the first Israeli election since the October 7th Hamas attack and the subsequent war.
- A record turnout is anticipated, with significant focus on participation among the ultra-Orthodox community.
- 36 parties are vying for 120 seats, with a 3.25% threshold for entry into the Knesset.
- Exit polls will be released at 10 PM, with final results expected by November 4th.
Polling stations across Israel opened Tuesday at 7:00 AM for the 26th Knesset elections, with over 7.3 million eligible voters casting ballots at 12,018 polling stations. This election is the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent war. A total of 36 lists are competing for the 120 seats in the Knesset. The number of eligible voters has increased by over 543,000 since the last election in November 2022, when turnout was 70.63%.
A key question for the day is whether voter turnout will break records and how disparities in participation among different population groups will affect the distribution of mandates. The central issue remains the formation of the next government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the Likud party, facing challenges from former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot of the National Unity party and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the joint list with Yair Lapid.
Other competing parties include Shas, led by Aryeh Deri; United Torah Judaism; Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman; The Democrats, led by Yair Golan; Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir; and the Religious Zionism party, running with the Zehut party. Ra'am and the Arab list are also competing after their disqualification was overturned by the Supreme Court. Two lists, Blue and White led by Benny Gantz and the Ahva movement, withdrew from the race.
For smaller parties, the 3.25% electoral threshold presents a significant hurdle. The outcome could directly impact the balance of power between blocs and the possibility of forming a 61-seat majority. Attention is also focused on turnout within the ultra-Orthodox community, comprising about 10.5% of eligible voters. Shas and United Torah Judaism, which won 11 and 7 seats respectively in the previous election, aim to maintain their strength amidst ongoing debates about the conscription of yeshiva students.
Party leaders are expected to visit polling stations and campaign headquarters throughout the day. Netanyahu is scheduled to vote in Jerusalem at 11:00 AM, Eisenkot will begin his day in Ofakim and Nir Oz, and United Torah Judaism Chairman Yaakov Asher will vote in Bnei Brak. Special polling stations have been set up for soldiers, hospital patients, and other groups, with the IDF operating approximately 850 stations. The entire election system will be managed by nearly 100,000 workers.
Most polling stations will remain open until 10:00 PM, with some closing earlier. The Central Elections Committee will release turnout data throughout the day. Exit polls will be broadcast on television channels at 10:00 PM when the last polling stations close, and vote counting will commence. Preliminary results are expected overnight, but the final outcome may be delayed due to the counting of double envelopes, including votes from soldiers and special polling stations. The Central Elections Committee has until November 4 to publish the official results.
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