Election Authority Releases New Data on Voter Turnout by Polling Station
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Israel's Central Election Committee is releasing new, detailed voter turnout data by individual polling station for the October 27, 2026 elections. This data, cross-referenced with past results and demographic information, allows for analysis of voting patterns across different sectors, regions, and socioeconomic groups. The committee categorizes stations by religion, Haredi voting, and political blocs based on 2022 results, with socioeconomic data also applied. Limitations exist, particularly regarding voters using double envelopes and the classification of voting blocs based on past elections.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's Central Election Committee released new real-time voter turnout data by polling station for the October 27, 2026 elections.
- This data allows for analysis of voting patterns across demographic and geographic groups.
- Stations are categorized by religion, Haredi voting, and political blocs based on 2022 results.
- Socioeconomic data is also used to group polling stations.
- Approximately 90% of 2026 polling stations were matched to their 2022 counterparts.
- Data excludes voters using double envelopes, impacting direct comparison with national totals.
For the first time, Israel's Central Election Committee is releasing real-time voter turnout data broken down by individual polling stations throughout election day, October 27, 2026. By cross-referencing this information with data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and previous election results, analysts can derive various demographic and geographic patterns of voting behavior.
The committee publishes national turnout figures at specific intervals, while the polling station data is updated continuously. The analysis compares current turnout at specific polling stations with their performance in the 2022 elections. This allows for granular insights into how different sectors, regions, and socioeconomic groups are voting.
Polling stations are categorized based on the primary religion of their locality, with Bedouin communities grouped with Arabs. Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) stations are defined as those where Shas and United Torah Judaism received at least 70% of the votes in 2022. All other stations are classified as non-Haredi Jewish. Voting blocs are determined by the results of the 2022 election, with a station assigned to a bloc if it received at least 60% of the votes there. Netanyahu's bloc includes Likud, Religious Zionism, Shas, and UTJ; Arab parties include Ra'am, Hadash-Ta'al, and Balad; the 'Change Bloc' comprises all other parties. Stations without a clear majority in 2022 are marked as having no distinct bloc.
Socioeconomic levels are based on the CBS's social-economic index for the statistical area of the polling station, grouped into low (1-3), medium (4-7), and high (8-10) clusters. Approximately 90% of 2026 polling stations were matched to their 2022 counterparts based on location and voter rolls. Turnout for each group is calculated by summing the voters and eligible voters across the reporting stations within that group, not by averaging individual station percentages.
Limitations of the data include the exclusion of voters using double envelopes (soldiers, prisoners, diplomats, etc.) from the polling station breakdowns, meaning these group figures cannot be directly compared to the national total which includes them. The analysis compares a group's turnout to the same group's turnout in 2022, not the national average. Furthermore, the 'bloc' classification reflects 2022 voting patterns, not current ones, and the statistical area serves as an approximation for residents' neighborhoods.
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