Israel election turnout hit its highest early level in decades on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, as Israelis voted in their first general election since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for political survival against former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, and polls close at 10 p.m. local time, or 4 p.m. Eastern.
By 10 a.m., three hours after polling stations opened at 7 a.m., turnout stood at 16.68%, according to Central Elections Committee figures reported by Ynet and cited by The Guardian. That was the highest reading at that hour since 1981, and more than 1.2 million people had already voted. The figure was 0.78 percentage points above the same point in the 2022 election. By around noon, turnout had passed 31%, according to live election coverage.
Israel election turnout: why the early numbers matter
High turnout cuts both ways in Israel’s proportional system. Parties need 3.25% of valid votes to enter the 120-seat Knesset, so the more people vote, the more ballots a small party needs to clear the bar. The Taub Center estimated that at a 70% turnout, similar to 2022, a party would need about 165,635 votes to cross the threshold, according to The Jerusalem Post. A surge above that raises the number and could push marginal parties out, which in turn reshapes how many seats each bloc ends up with. Our explainer on how Israel’s elections and coalition deals work walks through the threshold math in more detail.
Several groups could swing the result. About 700,000 first-time voters and roughly 140,000 returning or emigrant Israelis add uncertainty, The National reported, and the BBC said about 70,000 people had reportedly flown home from abroad to vote. Opposition sources told The National they expect Arab turnout to rise from about 50% to as much as 70% of the roughly two million Arab citizens.
Netanyahu vs. Eisenkot: where the polls left the race
The last polls before Israel’s legal blackout showed a deadlock. Channel 12’s final survey on Friday gave Netanyahu’s bloc 50 seats and the opposition bloc 56, with Arab parties projected at a combined 16, according to The Jerusalem Post. Neither side reached the 61 seats needed to govern. Within the opposition, Eisenkot’s Yashar party was projected at 22 seats, ahead of Likud at 19, down from the 32 Likud holds in the outgoing Knesset. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s B’Yachad list was projected at 14. We covered those final Israel polls and seat projections on Saturday.
Most opposition leaders have pledged not to form a government that relies on Arab parties. Senior opposition officials told The National, however, that a minority government with tacit support from Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party, or a formal coalition with Ra’am, remained possible if no bloc wins outright. A national unity government that includes Likud is another path analysts have raised.
Soldiers’ ballots and the late count
Exit polls from Israel’s main broadcasters are due at 10 p.m. local time, but they can differ sharply from the final tally. The BBC noted that hundreds of thousands of soldiers and reservists are voting, and many of their ballots will not be counted until Wednesday. That could give a late lift to right-wing parties, which are thought to draw strong support from that group. Official results are expected over the following days.
Netanyahu’s Likud is gathering in Jerusalem for election night, while Eisenkot’s Yashar, founded only last year, is meeting in Tel Aviv, the BBC reported. Security was tight after a week of regional threats, as described in our report on the final weekend of the Israel campaign.
What the result means for the US and the region
The vote is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership through three years of war in Gaza, Lebanon and with Iran. Whoever forms the next government will shape Israel’s posture toward Iran, the future of Gaza and relations with Washington, which remains Israel’s main military backer. The coalition talks that follow the count could take weeks. If no bloc reaches 61 seats, President Isaac Herzog will consult parties and ask the leader with the best chance of building a majority to try first.
The Boston Report will update this story as exit polls and official results come in after 4 p.m. Eastern.
Sources
- The Guardian: Israel election live
- The Jerusalem Post: Polls open across Israel as voting begins
- BBC: Turnout so far highest in decades as Israelis vote
- AP: Israel election live updates
- The National: Arab turnout could reshape Israeli politics
- CNN: Israel election live
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