Netanyahu bloc leads as ‘Israeli’ election count enters final stage

• Neither side has reached the 61 seats needed to form a government.
• The outstanding ballots account for roughly 15 seats and could significantly shift the balance.

‘Israel’s’ public broadcaster said counting of double-envelope ballots in the Knesset elections has begun, with the process expected to finish by Thursday evening.

Preliminary results, which do not include these ballots, give the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 53 seats, against 48 for the rival bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Arab parties together won 19 seats.

The figures leave the contest for the 61 seats needed to form a government undecided. The double-envelope ballots account for roughly 15 seats and could significantly shift the balance in parliament.

According to the Central Elections Committee, Netanyahu’s Likud leads with 26 seats, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21. The Joint List and Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad each won 12 seats, while the Democrats took eight.

Record number of double-envelope ballots amid war and displacement

Elad Naveh, head of the Central Elections Committee’s control center, told Yedioth Ahronoth’s studio that the number of double-envelope voters is expected to reach a record 600,000 to 650,000, up from about 463,000 in the 2022 elections.

He linked the sharp rise to the mass call-up of reservists and the displacement of large numbers of residents from their homes because of the ongoing war, which kept them from voting at regular polling stations.

Naveh said it was too early to give final seat projections before all ballots are received and counted. He urged caution about treating Thursday’s figures as final until the committee completes its official review and verification next week.

Double-envelope voting is a long-standing absentee system meant to protect ballot secrecy and prevent double voting. The voter’s ballot goes into a plain envelope, which is sealed inside an outer envelope carrying the voter’s personal details. Officials check the voter’s eligibility and confirm no other vote was cast before separating the ballot for counting.

The system covers soldiers, hospital patients, prisoners, police officers, diplomats serving abroad and people with disabilities.