Israel braces for record election turnout with over half a million new voters

Israel is anticipating a record-breaking election season with an unprecedented surge in first-time voters. Approximately 595,000 Israelis between the ages of 18 and 22 are set to cast their ballots for the 26th Knesset, according to an analysis by Points Location Intelligence. This group constitutes about 8.7% of all eligible voters, marking the largest influx of young voters since the state's establishment and potentially influencing the political landscape.

The total number of eligible voters is projected to reach around 6.8 million, a 9.4% increase from the previous election in November 2022. Jerusalem is expected to lead the nation with approximately 60,000 new voters, followed by Tel Aviv-Jaffa with 20,000. Other cities like Bnei Brak, Haifa, Petah Tikva, Rishon Lezion, Ashdod, and Beersheba also anticipate significant numbers of first-time voters.

Analysis reveals a correlation between socioeconomic status and electoral renewal. Communities in middle and upper socioeconomic clusters typically see new voters making up 7% to 8% of the electorate. In contrast, areas with large Haredi and Arab populations, often in lower socioeconomic clusters, exhibit the highest rates of electoral renewal, with some communities like Kfar Kesef seeing up to 69% of their eligible voters being new participants.

Women form a slight majority among the new voters, with approximately 303,000 women (50.9%) expected to vote for the first time, compared to about 292,000 men (49.1%). The Haredi population, in particular, is identified as a key driver of this electoral growth, with several Haredi communities showing exceptionally high proportions of new voters.