Israeli Voter Turnout Hits Highest Level in Five Decades as Elections Near Close
Two-thirds of eligible Israelis had voted by early evening, surpassing turnout levels recorded in the 2022 election and approaching a historic peak from 1973.
Israel's Central Elections Committee reported that about 66.7% of eligible voters had cast ballots by 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday, exceeding the 57.7% recorded at the same hour in the 2022 election. Military personnel turnout was also higher, reaching more than 68% by 5 p.m., up from 65% a year earlier.
Polling stations will remain open until 10 p.m., and voters still in line at that time will be allowed to vote, the committee said. A request by the Likud party to extend voting hours was rejected.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged right-wing supporters to vote, posting on X that turnout in the Arab sector was “unprecedented” and warning of a “dangerous left-wing government.”
Pollster Mitchell Barak, a former aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, described the turnout as “really high” and suggested it could surpass the 1973 peak, when Israel was also engaged in a major war. He noted that a higher overall vote count raises the number of votes needed to pass the 3.25% electoral threshold for Knesset representation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed voters, emphasizing the importance of high participation across all sectors and calling the day “a fateful moment.”
Arab-led candidates, including Ahmad Tibi, said their communities were voting in “unprecedented” numbers. Meanwhile, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed a complaint alleging that long lines and a strong police presence in some areas might be suppressing votes, particularly among Palestinian citizens of Israel.