Israeli voters headed to the polls on Tuesday, for the fourth time in two years, seeking to break the political stalemate that has been crippling the country over the past two years. According to the Central Elections Committee, the turnout was lower than in 2020, when the last election was held, and the lowest since 2009.
This could possibly be explained by the fatigue of Israeli voters due to the repeated march to the polls and the continued political statement, along with the various complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic, that may have impacted travel both within and to Israel (Israelis are generally not allowed to vote from abroad).
Ballots opened at 7 a.m. with Central Election Committee officials and Israel Police saying no major incidents were noted.
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Here is how the election unfolded:
22:06: The bloc of parties seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had 59 seats, compared to 53 seats for the bloc supporting the prime minister, according to exit polls from Channel 12 News. Channel 13 News repoted that the anti-Netanyahu bloc had 59 seats vs. 54 for the prime minsiter, and Kan 11 reported 59 for the bloc seeking to oust Netanyahu and 54 for the pro-Netanyahu bloc.
19:25: Voter turnout at lowest since 2009. As of 18:00 Tuesday, 51.5% of eligible voters had exercised their right and cast ballots in the March 23 election. In the March 2020 election, voter turnout at 18:00 was 56.3%.
18:30: Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid claimed on Twitter Tuesday afternoon that according to the situation rooms of the parties in his bloc, all the parties were growing. "Now we need a large Yesh Atid if we want to replace the government. The discussion of who will pass [the minimum threshold] and who won't is over, the discussion now is about how we replace the government with a big Yesh Atid."
18:23: 69% of IDF soldiers have voted, as of 16:00, the IDF Spokesperson reported.
17:42: Meretz is very worried by the low voter turnout, and Meretz MKs issued calls to supporters to cast ballots. "A few hundred votes either way could determine whether Netanyahu has 61 seats [to form a coalition] or not," they said. MKs Nitzan Horowitz, Yair Golan, and Tamar Zandberg sent out video clips urging Meretz supporters to vote.
17:19: As of 16:00 Tuesday, voter turnout reached 42.3%, a 4.3% drop compared to the same time of day in the March 2020 election.
16:40: Voter turnout as of 14:00 stands at 34.6%, 3.5% lower than at the same time on Election Day 2020. New Hope election campaign headquarters informs the Central Elections Committee that its ballots have disappeared from a number of polling places.
15:05: Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who heads Blue and White, called on the public from his headquarters: "I need you, go out and vote for me. There is not a lot of time left. I'm fighting for every vote."
14:44: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an "emergency broadcast" on Facebook in which he called on Likud voters to go to the polls, saying this is "the most important vote in recent years. We just need two additional seats [in the polls] in order win."
13:30: Voter turnout as of 12 p.m. stands at 25.4%
Central Elections Committee Head Attorney Orly Adas said that as of 12 p.m. 25.4 of all eligible voters have cast their ballots – a drop from last year's elections when 27.6% of the voters had gone to the polls by noon.
13:12: Voter turnout in the Arab sector low
The Central Election Committee has reported an unusually low voter turnout in the Arab sector when by 12 p.m. only 7% of eligible voters have gone to the polling stations.
The committee said it expects to see an uptick in the numbers in the evening, which is traditionally when Arab Israelis arrive at the polls.
11:30: PM Netanyahu urges voters to go to the polls
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara voted in Jerusalem. The prime minister expressed hope "this will be the last election campaign."
Netanyahu added, "This is truly a festive day for Israel. I'm particularly happy to be here today with my wife, who has endured a difficult week. I would like to thank all the well-wishers, we were moved by your concern."
Netanyahu also urged voters to go to the poll.
Sara Netanyahu also made a short statement, saying, "First, I would like to thank the dedicated medical team at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, and I would like to thank Israelis from across the political spectrum for their wishes. I was very touched and it gave me strength," she said.
"I would also like to thank my husband, who is doing what's best for all of us. I wish us all good luck."
11:20: Voter turnout as of 10 a.m. stands at 14.8%
Central Elections Committee Head Attorney Orly Adas said that as of 10 a.m., 14.8% of all eligible voters have cast their ballots – an slight increase from last year, when 14.5% of the voters had gone to the polls by mid-morning.
11:08: Suspected irregularities reported in neighborhoods Haredi communities
The Central Election Committee has received several reports about irregularities in several polling stations in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Ashdod and Ramat Gan.
The committee received several complaints from voters that ballot slips for the Religious Zionist Party and Meretz were removed from the stations.
10:50: President Reuven Rivlin: Vote and have a say in our future
President Reuven Rivlin urged Israelis to exercise their right to impact the nature of the government.
Voting in Jerusalem, he called on the public "to vote – for the future of our children, our grandchildren, and future generations."
He further thanked the Central Election Committee for "sparing no effort in this challenging time to ensure Israelis nationwide can exercise their right to vote and the maintain the integrity of the elections."
10:00 Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid votes in Tel Aviv
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid voted in Tel Aviv. He later tweeted, "This is the moment of truth for Israel. At the end of the day, it all comes down to two choices: A strong Yesh Atid or a government with dark, racist and homophobic forces thats take people's money and gives it to those who don't work."
09:55: Yamina leader Naftali Bennett votes in Raanana
Yamina leader Naftali Bennett votes urged Israelis to go to the polls, saying large voter turnout "is the only what to effect change."
09:45: Economic party head: We are the only alternative for those who want a better future
Economic party leader Yaron Zelekha voted in Ramat Gan and expressed optimism that he will defeat projections that his party will fail to cross the four-seat electoral threshold.
"We will be the surprise of the elections, despite the intimidations attempts by those in power. The Economic party is the only alternative for anyone who has had enough of crony capitalism and wants a better future."
09:38: New Hope leader: This is a chance to finally change things
New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar urged Israelis to vote, saying, "We have a chance to break the political stalemate of the past two years. This change hinges on voting for New Hope. We are the only ones who can navigate Israel toward a better future."
09:33: Voting begins in Israeli prisons
The Israel Prison Service confirmed that voting is underway in its facilities nationwide.
Prisons in Israel house 8,300 eligible voters, who have 61 ballots at their disposal.
09:15: Central Elections Committee chief predicts only 70% of the votes will be counted by Wednesday
Central Elections Committee Head Attorney Orly Adas said that the results of the elections may not be clear until Friday, adding that the final results will only come in next week.
"We are auditing the counting process very carefully and there are various checks and balances in place to comb through anomalies. I hope we have about 70% [of the votes] counted by Wednesday morning."
09:12: Religious Zionist Party warns against voter complacency
Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich urged Israelis to vote, warning that that voter complacency could see the Left rise to power.
08:40: Beersheba polling station designated for COVID patients collapses
A polling station in Beersheba designated for COVID patients collapsed shortly after it was opened. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Central Election Committee officials were on site and were working to devise an alternative that would allow patients to vote.
08:30: Labor leader Merav Michaeli vows to carry on Rabin's legacy
Labor leader Merav Michaeli voted in Tel Aviv. Prior to arriving at the ballot, she visited the monument erected in memory of iconic Labor leader Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995 while serving as prime minister.
"I can here because I vow to continue on Rabin's path – a path that would lead the State of Israel back to the Zionist vision," she said.
08:18: Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman votes
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman voted in his hometown of Kdumim, in Samaria, after which he told reporters, "Everyone has to remember that a bad government is installed by good people who didn't vote."
He urged all Israelis to vote, saying, " We should all remember that the fourth elections, like the previous one, is the result of one man's attempt to escape the trial. Before you vote, think carefully about how we can form a good and stable government. It is time for a decision."
08:15: Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz votes in Tel Aviv
Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz on Tuesday urged voters to go to the polls, saying, "It's either Meretz in the Knesset or 61 seats for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. Voters have the power to make a difference."
08:10: In first, polling station set up at Ben-Gurion International Airport
The Central Election Committee on Tuesday set up a polling station at Ben-Gurion International Airport, to accommodate Israelis who are flying back into the country.
Incoming passengers are still subject to special restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic. The move, which is the first of its kind, seeks to encourage them to exercise their right to vote.
08:04: Otzma Yehudit chief Itamar Ben Gvir votes in Kiryat Arba
Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, voted Tuesday near his home in Kiryat Arba, on the outskirts of Hebron.
"This is a crucial morning. The Right can win this election," he told reporters.
Otzma Yehudit has never been able to cross the four-seat electoral threshold. It joined the Religious Zionist Party ahead of the elections to maximize its chances.
07:50: Shas leader Aryeh Deri votes
Shas leader Aryeh Deri voted in Jerusalem after praying at the grave of the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party's late spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Speaking with reporters outside the polling station, Deri said, "I hope the public allows us to keep working for it."
07:00: Polling stations open nationwide
Some 6.5 million Israeli voters will have 12,127 polling stations at their disposal nationwide. The polls will close at 22:00, at which point the Central Election Committee will begin counting the votes.
Final results, however, may only be revealed after the Passover holiday, next week.
05.30: IDF closes West Bank crossings, Gaza border for Election Day
The Israeli military on Tuesday imposed a closure on all crossings between Israel and Palestinian territories over Election Day. The measure will be in place until midnight Tuesday, pending an IDF security assessment.
The closure was imposed overnight Tuesday and includes all crossings between Israel and the West Bank and the Israel-Gaza Strip border, the IDF said.
Special exceptions will be made for humanitarian cases and emergencies, which will be reviewed on merit.
