From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Likud, Shas submit request to extend voting hours
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
The ruling Likud party says it has submitted a petition to the Central Election Committee to extend the legal voting hours, which go until 10 p.m. at most polling stations.
The party does not say the reason for its request, but it could be a sign that it feels that coalition voters are not voting in the numbers necessary to win the election.
The ultra-Orthodox Shas party joins the petition, citing the high voter turnout: “The parties are trying to prevent a situation in which citizens waiting in line won’t be able to vote.”
Earlier today, Dean Livne, the acting director general of the Central Elections Committee, said polling stations would remain open after 10 p.m. if people were still waiting in line to vote.
The Times of Israel Community.