Israel votes in election that could end Netanyahu’s nearly 20 years in power

TEL AVIV — Polling stations opened Tuesday morning across Israel in elections widely seen as pivotal for the country’s future and its democratic institutions.

Voter turnout stood at 31.5% as of noon local time, with more than 2.3 million Israelis having cast ballots, the Central Elections Committee said. That figure is 3.1 percentage points higher than at the same hour in the previous election, in November 2022, when turnout was 28.4%. The committee said it is the highest noon turnout since 1973.

Shin Bet chief David Zini said election day has proceeded “well so far,” adding, “This should not be taken for granted.” Visiting the Central Elections Committee’s command center, he said turnout was high and the elections were being monitored and conducted properly.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged his supporters to vote, warning on X, “Buses are heading to polling stations, and huge queues are being reported in Arab communities.” He added, “If we don’t get out and vote now, we’ll find ourselves with a government made up of Arab parties.”

An estimated 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote, according to the Central Elections Committee — about half a million more than in the December 2022 elections. Around 12,000 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time and will remain open until 10 p.m. The main television channels will broadcast exit polls immediately after voting ends.

Official results are expected by Wednesday or Thursday, the committee said.

The elections will determine the composition of Israel’s 120-seat parliament, the Knesset. The president will then task the candidate deemed most capable of assembling a parliamentary majority with negotiating the formation of the next government. According to opinion polls over the past four months, the two leading contenders are opposition leader and center-right Yashar party head Gadi Eisenkot and Likud leader and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to estimates by Israeli public broadcaster Kan, more than 60,000 Israelis living abroad have returned to the country to vote. 

This developing story has been updated since initial publication.