Israel's Election Day: Voting Hours, Free Transport, and Weather Forecast

Thirty-six political lists are competing for the 120 parliamentary seats, following the withdrawal of Benny Gantz's 'Blue and White' and 'Tnuat AHI'. To enter the Knesset, a party must secure at least 3.25% of the valid votes. Voters must present a valid Israeli ID card, passport, driver's license, or military ID to cast their ballot, while the voter notification slip is not mandatory. Special voting arrangements are in place for soldiers, hospitalized patients, individuals with limited mobility, and citizens displaced by the war, including evacuated communities like Be'eri and Kfar Aza.

Election day is a national holiday, and public transportation, including trains and intercity buses, is free to facilitate voting. The election system operates on a budget of 690 million shekels and involves approximately 100,000 workers. To protect voter privacy, the High Court upheld a ban on parties collecting real-time attendance data, and photography is prohibited inside polling stations. Preliminary television exit polls are expected around 10:00 PM, with initial results published overnight and final seat allocations expected by Thursday noon after double-envelope ballots are counted.