Jerusalem, 28 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Central Elections Committee estimates that between 430,000 and 480,000 external “double” envelopes were cast in the elections for the 26th Knesset, as intake and verification work remains ongoing. These are the ballots cast by people, such as those in military service, who cannot be at their polling stations on election day.
Such votes are placed in a second envelope for identification purposes.
To safeguard voter anonymity, electoral staff scan and check the outer packaging before removing the inner ballot envelopes and mixing them together, severing any connection between personal voter details and the cast vote.
The processed envelopes are then transferred to the primary counting compound located in the Knesset parking lot. Formal vote counting for these ballots is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:00 AM and conclude Thursday evening, October 29.
The Central Elections Committee will broadcast the counting live via news feeds and its official YouTube channel ahead of a planned press statement.