The Israel Defense Forces concluded its nationwide election operations for the 26th Knesset on Wednesday morning, reporting high institutional satisfaction following a complex logistical mission conducted under active combat conditions and heightened operational readiness across four simultaneous fronts: the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Judea and Samaria.
According to data compiled by the IDF Manpower Directorate, 79.9% of all eligible military personnel exercised their democratic right and cast their ballots.
This figure represents a historic record for military participation, reflecting a 6.2-percentage-point increase over the turnout recorded among service members in the elections for the 25th Knesset.
The military’s operational balloting effort was launched ahead of the civilian vote, with early voting stations opening across military installations last week to accommodate rotational deployments and operational contingencies.Throughout the extended voting window and the primary national election day on Tuesday, the IDF deployed more than 890 military polling stations across permanent bases, training facilities, logistics hubs, and field headquarters.
Approximately 25% of these sites functioned as specialized mobile polling stations, tasked with navigating forward combat zones and operational perimeters. Military officials emphasized that the extensive forward distribution of polling stations—including inside tactical engagement areas—was intentionally designed to ensure that every soldier, officer, and reservist had the operational opportunity to cast a ballot, including while serving under fire.