Updated October 27, 2026 at 7:31 PM PDT
Israeli voters turned out in their highest numbers in more than two decades in a tense national election on Tuesday to decide whether to stick with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition or change course.
Netanyahu was in a tight race with his top rival, Gadi Eisenkot, a center-right former military chief of staff, as exit polls appeared to swing slightly in one and then the other candidate's favor.
Still, the final vote tallies may take some time. And even when they're complete, if no bloc wins a majority, it could take days or weeks to decide who will be Israel's next prime minister, as party leaders try to assemble a governing coalition.
Israelis consider this one of their most consequential votes in history — the first parliamentary election since the October 2023 Hamas-led attack and the start of the wars in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Highest turnout in 27 years
The Central Elections Committee said 77.7% of voters cast ballots as of 10 p.m. — calling it the highest turnout since 1999.
Enthusiasm was high among voters seeking to replace Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, with almost two decades in office across multiple tenures.
" Important is an underestimation, because it's much more than important. It's crucial," voter Naama Aaronsohn said of the election. "I'm worried. ... What's going to become of our country if there's not a major change?"
Another voter, Itamar Ariel, cast his ballot for Netanyahu. He said there are problems in Israel but no one can replace him. It's a matter of security for Israel.
But many Israelis question Netanyahu's ability to keep them safe after the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack. They have been reeling from reports that the government had repeated warnings from countries in the region that Hamas was planning a major assault on Israel.
Israel's subsequent wars in Gaza and the region, and its policies in the occupied West Bank, have badly strained its relations with many international governments, and public support for Israel in the United States has plummeted, worrying many Israeli voters.
Citizens in majority-Arab areas also took the opportunity to make their voices heard.
"This government it's not good for us and ... not good for anyone," said Nur Abu Na, a 30-year-old nurse. There are two predominantly Arab blocs in the elections.
Netanyahu voiced alarm throughout the day, in multiple social media posts, alerting followers to the high number of Arab citizens of Israel who were voting. He urged his right-wing supporters to get out and vote too.
"Good outcome for Eisenkot" but too soon to tell
The early exit polls suggested Netanyahu's Likud Party won the most seats, with Eisenkot's Yashar party coming second. No party won a majority in the 120-seat parliament, known as the Knesset.
The final results will depend on the math and negotiations among broader alliances.
Opposition leaders quickly reacted to the preliminary results, saying they suggested voters dealt a blow to Netanyahu's coalition.
Shira Efron, an Israeli policy analyst at the Rand Corp. think tank, told NPR it was a "very good outcome for Eisenkot" and his recently formed party.
At an election party in Tel Aviv, Eisenkot's supporters cheered as the first exit polls were announced after voting closed at 10 p.m. local time.
"The public has voted for change," Eisenkot said in a speech.
But votes will continue to be counted on Wednesday, and the electoral map could shift. Eisenkot's bloc could lose, or have difficult political negotiations ahead if he is chosen to form a government.
"I'm anxious. Listen, the results are good, but they're complex. It takes time before we have a full picture," said opposition supporter Ophelie Namiech.
Netanyahu supporters hold out hope
At the Likud election night party in Jerusalem, giant screens played Hollywood-style videos of soldiers marching, airstrikes blowing up buildings and other destruction. Some clips appeared to show massive explosions of villages in Lebanon, where Israeli destruction of civilian infrastructure has drawn condemnation from human rights groups as potential war crimes, which Netanyahu's government denies.
The videos also repeatedly showed President Trump shaking hands with and endorsing Netanyahu. The two leaders plan to potentially launch major attacks against Iran after the Israeli and U.S. midterm elections. Trump urged Israeli voters to reelect Netanyahu to "finish the job that we started."
Netanyahu's supporters were confident that their candidate, a master political survivor, would pull through.
" I've been here many times at different campaigns where at the first hour, that's what the exit polls show, and then you wait a little bit. And Prime Minister Netanyahu has had a knack of getting over the top when he needed it," said Netanyahu supporter Elie Pieprz.
He said in the end, he believes that Israelis will stand by their current leadership at a time of war.
"Right now we're in a war ... as unattractive as that may be to sound internationally, that's the reality," he said. "I think it is much more likely that they [Israeli voters] will understand that Prime Minister Netanyahu needs to lead this war against Iran, particularly with President Trump, and will come together because they, we need to have a certain amount of unity."
In the early hours of Wednesday, Netanyahu addressed supporters at the event. "Israel faces a singular historical opportunity, together with our partner President Trump, to remove the existential threat of Iran once and for all," he said.
Netanyahu celebrated that Likud was voted to be the largest party in the Knesset, and said the party awaited final results, but vowed to form "a strong right-wing, national government."
Daniel Estrin reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Ruth Sherlock reported from Jerusalem. Samantha Balaban, Itay Stern, Shir David and Alon Avital contributed reporting in Israel.
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