Record Voter Turnout in Israeli Elections: Highest Since 1981
Translated & summarized from JDN by baba
Over a million Israelis voted by 10 AM in the 26th Knesset elections, with a national turnout of 16.68%, the highest since 1981. This represents a 0.78 percentage point increase from the previous election. Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich attributed the high turnout to specific sectors and urged voters to support parties likely to pass the electoral threshold.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli elections saw 16.68% turnout by 10 AM, the highest since 1981.
- Over one million citizens voted by 10 AM in the 26th Knesset elections.
- Turnout increased by 0.78 percentage points compared to the previous election.
- Minister Smotrich cited high Arab sector and left-wing stronghold turnout.
- Smotrich urged voters to support parties guaranteed to pass the electoral threshold.
More than a million Israeli citizens had cast their ballots by 10:00 AM on Tuesday for the 26th Knesset elections. The national turnout rate reached 16.68% of eligible voters, marking the highest figure for this time of day since 1981. According to an update from the Central Elections Committee, the turnout at the same hour during the 25th Knesset elections was 15.9%, an increase of 0.78 percentage points.
These figures were presented at a press conference held by the committee's Acting Director-General, Dean Livneh, at the Central Elections Committee's control center in the Knesset. The committee announced that national turnout updates would be published every two hours throughout the day until 11:00 PM.
Following the data release, Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich claimed that the high turnout was due to "exceptional voting rates in the Arab sector and in strongholds of the left." The committee's update did not provide a breakdown by sector or region to support his assertion. Smotrich urged voters to avoid casting ballots for lists that might not pass the electoral threshold, stating, "I call on you, dear voters: vote only for parties that are sure to pass the electoral threshold. Do not throw your vote away." He further contended that based on the published data, there was no chance for parties currently below the threshold to pass it.
