Israel’s Election Committee Reports 16.68% Turnout by 10 a.m.

Israel’s Central Elections Committee said 16.68% of eligible voters had voted by 10:00 on Tuesday in the election for the 26th Knesset. That compared with 15.9% at the same hour in the election for the 25th Knesset, according to the committee’s announcement. Acting committee director-general Din Livneh presented the turnout figures at a press conference at the committee’s control center in the Knesset. In an earlier announcement about preparations, Livneh said: “This day is the product of many months of hard work.” The committee said thousands of employees had helped prepare the voting operation. In its earlier Tuesday announcement, dated October 27, the committee put the number of citizens eligible to vote at 7,331,981 and the number of regular polling stations at 12,018. Livneh said approximately 330,000 young people would be participating for the first time. Most polling stations operate from 07:00 until 22:00, while those assigned shorter hours operate from 08:00 until 20:00. Voters must present identification, but the mailed voter notice is not required. The committee said national turnout updates would be published every two hours until 23:00.