Your Guide to Election Day: Voting Hours, ID, and Ballot Rules

Israelis are heading to the polls today, October 27, 2026, for the 26th Knesset elections. Polling stations are open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with smaller communities operating from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. All Israeli citizens aged 18 and over are eligible to vote, with 36 parties competing for seats in the next Knesset. To be eligible, individuals must have been born by November 14, 2008. A total of 7,331,981 citizens are eligible to vote, an increase of 543,177 since the previous election. Voting will take place at 12,018 regular polling stations, as well as special locations like hospitals and prisons.

Voters can find their designated polling station by entering their ID number and birth date on the Interior Ministry's "Election Information" website. The Central Elections Committee offers assistance via phone and SMS/WhatsApp services. To cast a vote, individuals must present valid identification, such as an ID card, driver's license, passport, or military or police ID.

It is not necessary to bring the "voter notification" letter, as identification is the sole requirement at the polling station. Voters are strictly prohibited from adding any writing or markings to the official ballots. Using ballots as they are provided is mandatory; any additions could lead to the vote being disqualified. If a blank ballot is provided, voters may write the party's letters or name in blue ink, but nothing else. Submitting multiple ballots or ballots from different parties in the same envelope will invalidate the vote.

Special provisions are in place for accessible voting, with approximately 6,208 polling stations equipped for individuals with mobility issues. Additionally, 3,620 special accessible polling stations will be available nationwide. Those displaced due to the ongoing security situation can vote at designated stations for evacuees or at any accessible polling station. These stations will operate from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Election Day is a national holiday, meaning most employees are not required to work and will not have their pay docked. However, this does not apply to public transportation and essential service workers, who must still be allowed time to vote. Public transportation, including intercity buses (over 15 km) and Israel Railways, is free from 8:00 PM on October 26th until the end of service on Election Day, October 27th. This free travel does not apply to urban bus lines. Vote counting begins immediately after polls close at 10:00 PM, with preliminary results expected overnight and final official results due within eight days, by November 4, 2026.