By noon today, more than 2.3 million Israelis had cast their ballots in the parliamentary election, bringing voter turnout to 31.5%—the highest recorded at that hour since the 1973 elections following the Yom Kippur War. Ynet reports that turnout was 3.1% higher, with more votes continuing to come in throughout the day. With hours of voting remaining, turnout across Israel has now reached approximately 44.9%.
A breakdown of turnout by city revealed significant differences across the country. By noon, 28.8% of eligible voters in Tel Aviv had cast their ballots, compared with 27.1% in Jerusalem, 27.3% in Haifa, 29% in Rishon LeZion and 27.4% in Be’er Sheva.
Among the municipalities included in the committee’s figures, Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut recorded particularly high participation at 36.7%, followed by Modi’in Illit at 33.2%. Turnout reached 31.4% in Kiryat Ata, 30.4% in Ashdod and 30.3% in Sderot. Lower figures were recorded in Netanya at 23.8%, Nazareth at 24.9% and Eilat at 22.2%.
The midday figures followed an already strong start to voting. By 10 a.m., turnout had reached 16.68%, the highest recorded at that hour since 1981. More than 1.2 million Israelis had cast their ballots during the opening hours, an increase of 0.78 percentage points compared with the same stage of the previous election, when turnout stood at 15.9%.
Voting was also significantly higher among military personnel. According to the IDF, 48% of eligible service members had voted by 1 p.m., compared with 44.4% at the same hour during the previous election.
President Isaac Herzog spoke in Jerusalem after casting his ballot, urging Israelis to participate in the democratic process and make their voices heard. Shin Bet Director David Zini also reported that the election was proceeding smoothly, with little to no disruption. However, one security incident occurred in Tel Aviv when a man carrying a concealed knife approached Democrats party leader Yair Golan.
The man was wearing a jacket that concealed the weapon when security guards intercepted him during a voter mobilization tour. As the guards approached, the knife slipped from his clothing, and he was subsequently arrested. Police have not yet released further details about the investigation, and a political motive has not been confirmed.
The Fellowship praises God that security personnel were able to respond quickly and prevent anyone from being harmed. As the people of Israel exercise their democratic rights and make their voices heard through this historic voter turnout, we pray for a peaceful election that will lead to a safe and prosperous future for the nation.