Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday 27 October in a parliamentary election that puts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hold on power at stake, in the country's first general vote since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.

Polling day and when results will be known

Polling stations opened at 7am local time and were due to close at 10pm, when Israeli television channels were scheduled to broadcast exit polls giving the first indications of the outcome. The final tally is expected by 30 October, with official results formally published on 4 November.

A close race with no clear path to 61 seats

Voters are electing the 120-seat Knesset under closed-list proportional representation, with parties needing at least 3.25 per cent of the national vote to enter parliament. A majority requires 61 seats. About 7.3 million people aged 18 and above are eligible to vote, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee.

Opinion polls point to a close race between Netanyahu's Likud party and its right-wing allies and a rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff. Final television polls cited by the Times of Israel put Netanyahu's bloc on 50 seats, 11 short of a governing majority, with the opposition ahead on 52 to 56 seats depending on the poll.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader with 19 years in office, has campaigned on his wartime leadership and his alliance with US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him. Netanyahu said on Sunday that Trump was prepared to act again on Iran, but only if Netanyahu remained in power; Eisenkot accused him of fear-mongering.

What happens after the votes are counted

After the final tally, President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and tap the candidate best placed to form a government, who has up to 42 days to do so. If neither side reaches 61 seats, Netanyahu could stay on as caretaker until another election next year.

Sources: Reuters via BusinessWorld — Netanyahu's political survival on the line as Israel votes (27 Oct 2026); Reuters explainer via 98.5 The River — Israel election: What happens after polls close? (27 Oct 2026); Al Jazeera explainer via Qoshe — Israel election 2026: Who votes, how seats are won and what happens next.