Israelis voted on Tuesday 27 October 2026 in a parliamentary election for the 120-seat Knesset, the country's first general election since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023. About 7.3 million people were eligible to vote, with polling stations open from 7am to 10pm local time.

Turnout ran at a record pace during the day, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee. By noon, 31.5% of eligible voters had cast ballots, compared with 28.4% at the same point in 2022. By 2pm the figure had reached 44.9%, and by 4pm it stood at 55.7%, the highest recorded at those hours in recent decades. Sources differ on whether the older noon benchmark is 1973 or 1977, but they agree the noon figure was a record for recent decades.

A close race with no clear majority in sight

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose Likud party leads a coalition of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, is seeking to remain in office against former military chief Gadi Eisenkot and his centrist Yashar party. Pre-election polls pointed to a tight contest, with neither main bloc projected to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority.

That raises the prospect of extended coalition negotiations after the vote, with smaller parties potentially deciding who forms the next government. High turnout alone does not indicate which side is ahead, and early exit polls were expected only after polling closed.

Sources: Algemeiner and Seoul Economic Daily.