Israel Opens Polls in Parliamentary Election With More Than 7.3 Million Eligible Voters

Polling stations opened across Israel at 7 a.m. local time (05:00 UTC) on Tuesday, October 27, beginning a parliamentary election in which more than 7.3 million people are eligible to vote. The ballot will determine the composition of the 120-seat Knesset, but it will not by itself establish which political alliance can form a government.

Most polling stations are scheduled to close at 10 p.m. local time (20:00 UTC). Voting arrangements include designated facilities for soldiers, hospital patients and residents displaced from their communities. Election authorities have also arranged free travel on certain rail and intercity bus services to help eligible voters reach polling locations, according to Israeli news outlet Ynet.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is competing against parties and alliances seeking to replace his government. The election follows years of political instability and comes amid disagreement over the country's security policy and the consequences of the conflicts in Gaza and the wider region. Voters are electing legislators, not directly choosing a prime minister.

The election's central institutional test comes after ballots are counted. A prospective government generally needs the backing of at least 61 members of the 120-seat Knesset. Parties may therefore need to negotiate coalition agreements even if one list wins more seats than its competitors.

Election officials expect initial results after voting closes on Tuesday night. Votes cast through special arrangements, including double-envelope ballots, are counted separately and could affect close seat allocations. The final official count may take several days.

Published figures for the precise number of polling stations and competing party lists differ between early reports; this article does not treat those conflicting counts as settled. No turnout estimate, winner or final seat distribution has been confirmed at the opening of voting. This report concerns the verified start of polling, not an election outcome.