Israeli Voter Turnout Hits Highest Level Since 1969

Nearly 2.4 million Israelis had cast their ballots by noon, bringing turnout to 31.5%, according to the Central Elections Committee.

By United with Israel Staff

Millions of Israelis headed to the polls Tuesday for one of the country’s most closely watched elections in years, with voter turnout surging to its highest level at this stage of Election Day since 1969.

According to the Central Elections Committee, 44.9% of eligible voters had cast their ballots by 2 p.m., a dramatic six-percentage-point increase from the 38.9% recorded at the same time in the previous election.

With 7,331,981 Israelis eligible to vote, the latest figure means roughly 3.3 million ballots had already been cast.

The exceptionally strong participation has been evident throughout the day.

Nearly 2.4 million Israelis had voted by noon, bringing turnout to 31.5%, the highest noon figure since 1973 and surpassing even the historic 1977 election that brought Menachem Begin’s Likud party to power for the first time.

By 10 a.m., turnout had already reached 16.68%, representing more than 1.2 million voters. That compared with 15.9% at the same point during the 2022 election and was the highest 10 a.m. turnout since 1981.

Turnout figures from individual communities also showed significant variations across the country.

Among Israel’s largest cities, turnout stood at 29% in Tel Aviv and Rishon Lezion, and 27% in Jerusalem, Beersheba and Haifa in the earlier local figures.

Some Arab communities were recording particularly strong participation. Rahat reached 37%, representing roughly 12,000 votes, while Nazareth and Tayibe stood at 25%. Umm al-Fahm was lower at 18%.

In several traditional Likud strongholds, turnout reached 31% in Afula, 30% in Karmiel and 29% in Ashkelon and Migdal HaEmek.

Several opposition strongholds were also recording high participation, including Givatayim at 34%, Ra’anana and Kfar Saba at 33%, and Herzliya at 29%.

In Judea and Samaria, turnout reached 36% in Karnei Shomron, 35% in Elkana, 34% in Alfei Menashe and 32% in Ariel.

Predominantly haredi cities showed varying levels of participation, with Modi’in Illit at 33%, Elad at 32%, and Bnei Brak and Beitar Illit both at 28%.

The local figures were released earlier in the day and therefore do not reflect the latest 2 p.m. national turnout.

A total of 543,177 new voters are among those eligible to participate in Tuesday’s election for the 26th Knesset. Voters are choosing among 36 competing party lists at more than 12,000 polling stations nationwide.

Most polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 10 p.m., when Israel’s major television networks are expected to release their exit polls.

The historic turnout comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks another term following a campaign dominated by national security, the wars against Israel’s enemies and the political fallout from the Oct. 7 massacre.

Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as Netanyahu’s principal challenger, while several smaller parties hovering around the electoral threshold could play an outsized role in determining the final balance of power.

With neither political camp entering Election Day assured of the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority, the surge in participation could have major implications for the final result. Which sectors are driving the increase may prove just as important as the record turnout itself.

The Central Elections Committee will continue releasing updated turnout figures throughout the afternoon and evening before polls close at 10 p.m.