More Than 3 Million Israelis Cast Their Ballots Amid Record Election Turnout

Voter turnout reaches 44.9% by 2:00 PM.. the highest since 1973

Netanyahu warns of “stealing the election” amid rising Arab vote

Al-Taj News – More than 3 million Israelis cast their ballots in the elections on Tuesday, an increase of 6% compared to the previous election, while the turnout rate reached 44.9% by 2:00 PM local time, compared to 38.9% in the previous election.

The Central Elections Committee of Israel said that the turnout rate recorded up to that time is the highest since 1973, calling on polling committees to expedite the voting process in light of the high turnout. For its part, the Israeli army announced that the voting rate among soldiers reached 48%.

The elections are being held for the first time since the attack of October 7, 2023, amid escalating security issues and dispute over responsibility for security failures and the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Opinion polls indicate a close race between Netanyahu and his main rival Gadi Eisenkot, the former Chief of Staff and leader of the “Yashar” party, who described the current government as the “worst government” in Israel’s history.