640,000 Young Israelis to Vote Tuesday

On Tuesday, October 27, approximately 640,000 Israelis between the ages of 18 and 22 will cast their first ballots. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, this group comprises nearly 10% of the total electorate. Their collective choices could determine the outcome for as many as 12 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

Tammy Hoffman, head of the education policy program at the Israel Democracy Institute, noted that high turnout is expected. Her team surveyed young Jewish and Arab voters in May, finding that 80% to 95% said they would definitely or likely vote. Secular Jewish youth showed the highest certainty, while 87% of Arab respondents indicated an intention to participate. This level of engagement exceeds the 47% youth turnout recorded in the United States during the 2024 presidential election.

The primary concerns for these new voters are national security and the cost of living. Hoffman explained that this generation experienced their adolescence during a period of instability, including the pandemic, judicial reform protests, and the October 7 Hamas attack. While many are currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces or are in pre-military programs, Hoffman argued that military service does not automatically push voters to the right. She said it often raises questions about war goals rather than nationalist stances.

A September 23 N12 poll of young people found that 74% identified as right-wing or center-right, while 23% identified as left-wing or center-left. If the election had been held at that time, 16% of respondents said they would vote for Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, and 14% would vote for Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud. Despite these numbers, mock elections in high schools often show strong support for Eisenkot’s Yashar and the Beyachad party led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.

Individual voters cite specific motivations for their choices. Omer Gross, 18, from Jerusalem, plans to vote for the Religious Zionist party led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin. He supports the party’s stance on the West Bank territories, even though he disagrees with Smotrich’s objectives in Gaza. Tomer Shiloh, also 18 and from Herzliya, intends to vote for the opposition Change bloc. He wants a government that mandates military service for Haredi men and lowers the cost of living.

Sgt. M, a 22-year-old reservist from Shef-Amra, will vote for the Democrats party due to economic pressures. He noted that many university students must work to afford tuition and housing, making it difficult to study immediately after military service. Khalel Alaa Sabeh, 18, an Arab Israeli from the north, plans to vote for an Arab party to address resource gaps and crime in his community. He urged his friends to vote, stating that he wants to see change and believes that if Netanyahu wins, the country will face four more difficult years.