Israel Election Day: What Happens After the Polls Close

With just hours remaining before polling stations open for the 2026 Israeli elections, an analyst outlined the post-election process for forming a future government. Voting will commence at 7:00 AM and conclude at 10:00 PM. Immediately after polls close, exit poll results conducted by Tzuriel Sharon for i24NEWS will be released.

Official results are expected from the Central Elections Committee by November 4th. The counting process is anticipated to be lengthy, partly due to the expected tabulation of over 600,000 double envelopes, which will slow down the final tally. The Basic Law: The Government stipulates that the President, Yitzhak Herzog, will task a Knesset member with forming a government by November 11th, following consultations.

The designated lawmaker will have 28 days to assemble a coalition. This period can be extended by the President for an additional two weeks, totaling 42 days. If the nominee fails to form a government within this timeframe, they can return the mandate to the President, who may then offer it to another candidate after further consultations. Alternatively, the President can return the mandate to the Knesset. If 61 MKs recommend a different candidate, that individual will have 14 days to form a government.

Should no candidate succeed in forming a government, the 26th Knesset would be dissolved, triggering new elections. President Herzog has publicly stated his commitment to making significant efforts to prevent such a scenario. Meanwhile, the city of Rehovot is being closely watched, as its voting patterns in past elections have closely mirrored national results, making it a potential indicator for the current election outcome.