The voter turnout rate fell sharply in Israel’s fourth general election in under two years, declining to the lowest level since 2013.
According to data released by Israel’s Central Election Committee Tuesday night, just 4,420,677 voters took part in the elections to the 24th Knesset, or 67.2% of all eligible voters.
That marks a significant decline compared to the previous election, held in March 2020, when 71.0% of eligible voters cast ballots.
Both elections in 2019 also saw higher turnout rates, with 67.9% of voters casting ballots in April, and 69.4% voting in September.
Tuesday’s election had the lowest turnout rate since 2013, when just 66.6% of eligible voters participated.
Initial estimates suggest a major decline in voting in the Arab sector may have been a primary cause of the fall in the overall turnout rate. Arab turnout, which has traditionally been significantly lower than the Jewish turnout rate, soared in the 2020 election to record highs.
Prisons also saw a decline in voter turnout, falling by 4%, from 79% in 2020 to 75%.
The decrease in the Arab voting rate significantly impacted both the Arab lists running for the Knesset, with the Joint Arab List projected by exit polls to fall to eight to nine seats, while the United Arab List, which split off from the Joint Arab List, is expected to fail to cross the electoral threshold.