Record Voter Turnout in Israeli Elections, Highest Since 1977

Israel is experiencing exceptionally high voter turnout in the elections for the 26th Knesset, with 31.5% of eligible voters casting ballots by noon. This figure marks the highest participation rate at this hour since the historic 1977 elections, which saw a significant political upheaval. The current turnout represents a 3.1 percentage point increase compared to the previous elections in 2022, indicating strong public engagement.

The Central Elections Committee released these figures during a press conference held by Acting Director-General Dean Livna. The committee plans to continue releasing national voting data every two hours until polls close at 11 PM. If queues persist past 10 PM, voting may be extended.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented on the high turnout, attributing it to exceptional participation in the Arab sector and left-wing strongholds. He also expressed confidence that parties below the electoral threshold would not pass, urging voters to cast their ballots for parties guaranteed to clear the threshold to avoid wasting their vote.

A total of 12,018 regular polling stations have been set up across the country, with 6,208 of them accessible to people with disabilities. Special provisions are in place for various groups, including 250 polling stations in hospitals, 55 in prisons and detention centers, and 102 stations at Israeli missions abroad. Special arrangements have also been made for approximately five communities of evacuees.

Most polling stations opened at 7 AM and will remain open until 10 PM. However, smaller communities and certain institutions like hospitals and prisons will have reduced voting hours. Voters in line by closing time will still be permitted to cast their ballots. Israelis who voted abroad saw a participation rate of 86.7%, a significant increase from the previous election.