Record Voter Turnout in Israeli Elections Reaches Highest Level Since 1977

Voter turnout in Israel's 26th Knesset elections has reached a record high, with 31.5% of eligible voters casting ballots by noon on Tuesday. This figure, representing over 2.3 million citizens, is the highest midday turnout recorded since the 1977 elections. The current turnout is significantly higher than the 28.4% recorded at the same time in the 2022 elections, a difference of 3.1 percentage points. Earlier in the day, by 10:00 AM, turnout was 16.68%, compared to 15.9% four years prior.

Despite the high numbers, the ultimate impact on the distribution of Knesset seats remains uncertain. The Central Elections Committee reported long queues at some polling stations across the country. Committee Chairman, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, acknowledged the waiting times but noted the public's continued engagement. David Zini, head of the Shin Bet, stated that the voting process has been orderly so far, despite attempts by various elements to disrupt it.

Turnout in Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) communities is being closely monitored, with initial morning figures in cities like Bnei Brak (11.7%), Modi'in Illit (12.6%), and Beitar Illit (10.1%) being lower than the national average. Parties such as Shas and United Torah Judaism have deployed field operations to encourage their supporters to vote, navigating new legal restrictions on information transfer to party headquarters. Agudat Yisrael established reporting stations outside polling places, Degel HaTorah organized a large call center operation, and Shas implemented a system for local activists to encourage voting.

The campaign for Haredi votes is also influenced by criticism regarding the draft issue and the arrests of yeshiva students. An article in the Haredi newspaper "Ha'Peles" discussed protest votes and the "Black Color" party, which is running against established Haredi parties, though it did not include an explicit voting directive from the Jerusalem Faction leadership, which largely abstained from Knesset elections in the past.

Party leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, cast their ballots in Jerusalem. High turnout was also reported within the IDF, with 30% of soldiers having voted by 10:00 AM, compared to 25.7% in the previous election. The Central Elections Committee addressed numerous complaints about irregularities, including shortages and suspected tampering of ballot papers, clarifying that there were no indications of systematic destruction and that all individual complaints were being investigated. Further local and national turnout data will be released, with TV exit polls expected after polls close at 10:00 PM, followed by the vote count.