Election Day Live Updates: Heavy Crowds at Arab Polling Stations

Jerusalem, 27 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- 9:27 a.m. Amcha Yisrael Appeals Over Missing Ballot Slips at Polling Stations

Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party appealed to the Central Elections Committee following reports from several polling stations that ballot slips bearing the party’s Hebrew letter were missing.

The party said it also received reports from both military and civilian polling stations that its ballot slips had been turned over, making them appear blank, and that in one case, a voter attempted to remove all Amcha Yisrael ballot slips from a polling station.

9:22 a.m. Yair Golan Casts His Vote

Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, casts his vote in Rosh Ha’Ayin on Oct. 27, 2026. Photos by Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL

9:09 a.m. Yisrael Beytenu Claims its Ballot Slips Missing in Kiryat Ono

The Yisrael Beytenu party reported that its ballot slips bearing its letter have been missing from polling station in Kiryat Ono since voting stations opened.

The party appealed to the Central Elections Committee to investigate the incident.

9:00 a.m. Heavy Crowds at Polling Stations in Arab Communities

Police officers stationed in Arab communities across Israel reported unusually heavy crowds at polling stations on Tuesday morning, with voters arriving in large numbers from the early hours. According to eyewitness accounts, turnout appeared particularly high compared with the previous Knesset election.

Officers at police stations serving Arab communities described especially crowded polling places, with some saying they could not recall seeing similar scenes in previous elections. A senior police official described the turnout as “something unusual.”

8:44 a.m. Itamar Ben-Gvir Votes in Kiryat Arba

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of Otzma Yehudit, voted in Kiryat Arba on Tuesday alongside his wife, Ayala. After leaving the polling station, Ben-Gvir told reporters that voters faced a choice between a right-wing government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which Otzma Yehudit would serve as the “right-wing force,” and a government reliant on Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas, which he described as a danger to Israel.

National Security MInister and Otzma Yehdudit party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir arrives to vote in Kiryat Arba on Oct. 27, 2026. Photo by Eytan Shalem/TPS-IL

8:06 a.m. Bennett’s Party Accuses Likud of Illegal Voter Tracking; Likud Denies Claim

Bennett’s Beyachad (together) party accused Likud representatives of tracking voters inside polling stations and reporting their movements through an app, allegedly violating election laws and Central Elections Committee guidelines. The party said it had filed a complaint with the election committee.

However, the Central Elections Committee said it was not aware of the incident or any related complaint. Police also said they had no knowledge of the incident at this stage, warning of a flood of fake news messages expected throughout Election Day.

Likud strongly denied the report, calling it a “false spin.” Likud sources said the photograph cited in the report was taken outside, not inside, a polling station. They said voluntary reporting stations had been set up outside polling places, where people could choose to provide information.

The sources stressed that the activity was unrelated to official polling-station representatives, whom voters are required to identify themselves to under election procedures.

8:00 a.m. Early Morning Rush Hits the Polls

The first major wave of voters is already filling up polling stations across Israel this morning, sparking early queues as doors officially open. With today being an official election holiday, thousands of citizens are hitting the lines early to cast their ballots before diving into family plans and road trips. Standard polling stations are open continuously until 10:00 PM tonight (and until 8:00 PM in smaller localities, hospitals, and care facilities).

As long as a voter physically stands in line before the closing whistle blows, he or she is legally guaranteed the right to vote.

7.45 a.m. Most Polling Stations Open Across Israel as Election Day Begins

Long line outside a polling station in Pardes Hana, Oct. 27, 2026. Photo: TPS-IL

Most polling stations across Israel opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday for the 26th Knesset election, allowing millions of eligible voters to cast ballots for their preferred parties. Regular polling stations will remain open until 10 p.m., when voting ends and ballot counting begins.

According to Central Elections Committee figures updated September 6, 2026, Israel has 7,331,981 eligible voters, up from 6,788,804 registered for the previous election.

The country has 12,018 regular polling stations, including 6,208 accessible to people with disabilities. Of these, 3,620 are accessible stations where eligible voters may vote even if they are not registered there, subject to legal requirements.

Additional arrangements include 250 hospital polling stations, 55 in prisons and detention centers, and 102 stations at 100 Israeli diplomatic missions abroad. Special voting arrangements also covered approximately five displaced communities.

7:00 a.m. Polls Open Nationwide

A voting station opens in Pardes Hanna on Oct 27, 2026. Photo by TPS-IL

6.29 a.m. Families of October 7 Victims Begin Election Day with Moment of Silence

Families of October 7 victims began Israel’s 26th Knesset election day Tuesday with a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m., half an hour before polling stations opened.

At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, relatives of massacre victims and former hostages stood together to honor those murdered in the Hamas massacre. They urged voters to remember their loved ones when casting their ballots, noting that the victims would never have the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to vote.