Record Turnout in Israeli Elections: 44.9% Voted by Midday

As of 2:00 PM on election day for the 26th Knesset, 44.9% of eligible voters had cast their ballots, a significant increase compared to 38.9% at the same time during the previous elections. This surge, representing a 6 percentage point jump, indicates a particularly high public participation rate, with nearly half of eligible voters having voted by midday. The increased turnout has led to queues and congestion at some polling stations across the country.

Earlier data showed a record-breaking turnout by noon, with 31.5% of eligible voters participating by 12:00 PM. This figure is the highest for that time of day since 1977, when the Likud party first came to power. For comparison, only 28.4% had voted by noon in the 2022 elections. By 10:00 AM, 16.68% had voted, the highest for that hour in 45 years, a slight increase from the 15.9% recorded in November 2022.

Among IDF soldiers, turnout reached 48% by 1:00 PM, an increase of 3.6 percentage points from the previous election. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented on the high turnout, attributing it to exceptional participation in the Arab sector and left-wing strongholds. He also urged voters to cast their ballots only for parties that are certain to pass the electoral threshold, to avoid wasting their votes.

Special arrangements are in place for various groups, including 6,208 accessible polling stations for people with disabilities, 250 polling stations in hospitals, 55 in prisons, and 102 abroad. Voting for Israelis overseas concluded with an 86.7% turnout among eligible voters at diplomatic and consular missions, a significant rise from the previous election. Polling stations across Israel are open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with some exceptions for smaller communities and specific institutions operating on reduced hours.