Netanyahu's Likud seeks voting hours extension as Israeli turnout surges

Likud seeks extended polling hours

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party on Tuesday requested that voting hours be extended beyond the scheduled 10 pm closing time as election day turnout reached record levels, according to Israeli media reports. The Central Elections Committee noted that voters arriving by the 10 pm deadline would be permitted to cast ballots after the official closing time, while Committee Chairman Justice Noam Solberg — who received the petition — deliberates on whether to formally extend hours nationwide.

Opposition slams 'integrity' challenge

Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party said it "strongly opposes" the extension request, arguing that no exceptional circumstances justified the move. The party accused Likud of attempting to lay the groundwork for challenges to the election's integrity, describing the petition as a continuation of "the lies Netanyahu has been spreading since the morning hours" and warning against undermining public trust in the process.

Far-right faction cites congestion

The far-right Otzma Yehudit party requested to join Likud's petition, citing "congestion and unusual wait times at polling stations" as justification for extending the voting period beyond the scheduled deadline. The faction's support for the measure highlights divisions among right-wing blocs over electoral procedures as officials prepare to count ballots from more than 7.3 million eligible voters choosing members of the 120-seat Knesset.

Record turnout marks wartime vote

Voter turnout reached 55.7 percent by 4 pm Tuesday, the highest recorded for that hour since recordkeeping began in 1973, according to the Central Elections Committee. More than 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to participate in selecting members of the 120-seat Knesset. Tuesday's vote marks Israel's first general election since the start of its war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, with polling stations having opened at 7 am local time.