---
title: "Israel Elections 2026: Record Turnout of 77.7% and Exit Polls Give Eisenkot 52 Seats vs 50 for Netanyahu"
description: "Israel's parliamentary elections on October 27 saw a record turnout of 77.7% by 10 PM, the highest since 1999. Exit polls give Eisenkot's opposition 52 seats against 50 for Netanyahu's bloc."
date: 2026-10-27T21:57:15.007Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/israel-elections-2026-record-turnout-exit-polls
tags: [israel-elections, knesset, turnout, netanyahu, eisenkot, exit-polls, 2026]
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Israel Elections 2026: Record Turnout of 77.7% and Exit Polls Give Eisenkot 52 Seats vs 50 for Netanyahu

![Israeli flag waving in the wind against a hilly landscape and solar panels](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/27/izraile-vyibory-2026-rekordnaya-yavka-ekzity-polly/izraile-vyibory-2026-rekordnaya-yavka-ekzity-polly-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Turnout in Israeli elections reached 77.7% by 10 PM — a record since 1999 and higher than the 2022 figure (70.6%)
- Exit polls: Eisenkot's opposition bloc — 52 seats, Netanyahu's pro-government bloc — 50, Arab parties — 18
- Likud party wins more individual votes than Yashar, giving Netanyahu an argument to form a coalition
- Official CEC vote counting is not yet complete, final results have not been published

On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, regular parliamentary elections were held in Israel. As of the evening count, the final voting results have not yet been tallied, but a key indicator that analysts call historic has already been recorded: voter turnout reached a 27-year high. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing data from The Times of Israel and Israel's Central Election Commission (CEC).

### Record Turnout: 77.7% vs 70.6% in 2022

According to the Israeli Central Election Commission, voter turnout as of 10:00 PM local time stood at 77.7%. For comparison, at the corresponding stage of counting in the 2022 elections, the figure was 70.6%. Thus, the current turnout not only exceeds last year's — it is the highest at the time of closing polling stations since 1999. This means the Israeli electorate is demonstrating a steady increase in political activity, which itself is a noticeable shift in a country where turnout over the past decade has consistently hovered in the 60–70% range.

### Why Figures Might Still Rise

The Times of Israel emphasizes that the recorded 77.7% is practically final, but not absolute. According to Israeli election legislation, polling stations close at 10:00 PM, but voting at any station where queues remained at closing time continues until every voter standing in line has cast their ballot. This means some citizens voted after the formal closing time, and the final turnout after counting concludes could end up slightly higher than 77.7%. Nevertheless, the scale of the numbers is already determined: this is a record that has not been broken in almost three decades.

### Exit Polls: Eisenkot's Opposition Ahead by Two Seats

According to updated data from several exit polls, the opposition bloc of parties led by Gadi Eisenkot is projected to win 52 seats in the new 120-seat Knesset. The pro-government bloc led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wins 50 seats, according to the same data. Two Israeli Arab parties, which traditionally never join government coalitions, collectively win 18 seats. The sum of these three blocs (52 + 50 + 18) totals 120 seats, fully comprising the new Knesset.

### Netanyahu's Chances: More Votes, More Leverage

At the same time, the exit polls highlight an important nuance: Netanyahu's Likud party on its own wins slightly more votes than Eisenkot's Yashar party. This gives the incumbent prime minister an argument to claim the mandate to form a new coalition, which under Israeli law is usually handed to the leader of the party that won the most votes. However, as observers note, if the election results truly match the exit poll data, forming a stable majority in the new Knesset looks unlikely: neither of the two main blocs commands the 61 seats necessary to form a government.

### Official Counting Has Just Begun

At the time of publication, official election results have not yet been published: the Israeli Central Election Commission website does not yet display data on seat allocation. The official vote count is only just beginning, and final figures may differ from the exit polls. Thus, the coming days will determine who exactly will lead the coalition-forming process and whether a working majority can be assembled in the new Knesset.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [В Израиле зафиксировали рекордную явку на выборах с 1999 года](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/izrayili-zafiksuvali-rekordnu-vku-viborah-1793137740.html) - Primary source. Confirms 77.7% turnout by 10 PM according to CEC data, comparison with 70.6% in 2022, record since 1999, exit poll data (52/50/18), and poll closing nuances.
- [Явка на выборах в Израиле составила 77,7%](https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/6ae0c0063a6b753ff0e3387a) - Confirms the 77.7% figure by 10:00 PM local time citing The Times of Israel and CEC data. Points out the record-breaking nature of the metric.

## FAQ

### What voter turnout was recorded in the Israeli elections on October 27, 2026?

According to Israel's Central Election Commission, turnout as of 10:00 PM was 77.7%. This is higher than the 70.6% recorded at the same time in the 2022 elections and is the highest figure since 1999.

### What results do exit polls show?

According to updated data from several exit polls, the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot wins 52 seats, Netanyahu's pro-government bloc wins 50 seats, and two Arab parties combined win 18 out of 120 seats in the Knesset.

### Have official election results been published yet?

No. The official vote count is just beginning, and the Israeli CEC website does not yet have seat allocation data at the time of publication. Exit polls are preliminary.

### Who can form the new government?

Netanyahu's Likud party, according to exit polls, wins more individual votes than Eisenkot's Yashar party, giving the incumbent prime minister an argument to form a coalition. However, neither bloc holds 61 seats for a stable majority.