Record Voter Turnout Could Reshape Knesset Election Results

Israel is experiencing a high voter turnout in the Knesset elections, a phenomenon that sociologist Shlomo Filber warns could significantly alter the final seat distribution compared to recent polls. Filber, who specializes in electoral research and exit polls, stated that increased participation is evident across all segments of Israeli society, including Arab communities, left-wing and right-wing supporters, and the ultra-Orthodox sector. "If previously the question was whether people would come to vote, now we can say with certainty: Israeli society is far from indifferent to these elections. And this applies to all sectors," Filber said. He cautioned that the elevated turnout might particularly impact the Knesset's composition if smaller parties fail to cross the electoral threshold. Filber emphasized that the final results could diverge substantially from a poll released on Thursday due to this high engagement. He refrained from predicting which parties might benefit or lose, indicating that more precise conclusions would be possible after processing data from polling stations. The elections, held on Tuesday, October 27, are for the 26th Knesset. Notably, this is the first time since 1988 that Israeli parliamentary elections have been held on schedule, as all previous campaigns were called early.