Israel's 26th Knesset Elections: Voting Procedures and Expected Results

The election infrastructure is supported by a massive workforce of approximately 100,000 staff members on election day. To prevent any shortages, 450 million ballot papers have been printed, averaging 11.5 million for each of the 36 competing party lists. To ensure transparency and prevent irregularities, monitors will utilize approximately 15,000 cameras to document the voting and counting processes.

The total economic impact of the election is estimated at 3.53 billion shekels, which includes 741 million shekels for the Central Elections Committee, 250 million shekels in party funding, and 2.54 billion shekels in lost productivity due to the national holiday. To facilitate voter turnout, free public transportation will be provided on all Israel Railways routes and 660 intercity bus lines.

Most polling stations will open at 7:00 AM and close at 10:00 PM, with shorter hours in smaller communities, hospitals, and prisons. Special voting arrangements are in place for soldiers, police officers, hospitalized individuals, and citizens displaced by the ongoing conflict. A record 600,000 to 650,000 "double envelope" ballots are expected, which could significantly impact the final distribution of mandates for parties near the 3.25% electoral threshold. Preliminary results are expected by Wednesday morning, with official results finalized by November 4, 2026.