Polls closed Monday night in the Likud primaries after 11 hours of voting, with the party beginning the count that will determine its slate for the 26th Knesset.

Official figures showed final turnout at 53.5%, with 75,177 of approximately 140,000 eligible Likud members casting ballots. The turnout was roughly five percentage points lower than in the 2022 primaries.

Immediately after polls closed, Israel Hayom published an exit poll conducted by the DRI Institute among 700 Likud voters.

According to the poll, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana finished first, followed by Yariv Levin and Eli Cohen. Almog Cohen ranked fourth, followed by Moshe Saada, Miri Regev, Boaz Bismuth, Tally Gotliv, Amichai Chikli and Ofir Katz rounding out the top 10.

Places 11 through 20 went to Avichay Buaron, Yoav Kisch, Shlomo Karhi, Miki Zohar, Gila Gamliel, Nir Barkat, Amit Halevi, May Golan, Ariel Kallner and Hanoch Milwidsky.

The primary was closely watched amid estimates that as many as half of Likud’s current MKs and ministers could find themselves outside realistic positions on the next Knesset slate, due to the number of reserved slots advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the reduced number of seats considered realistically winnable.

Candidates relying heavily on unaffiliated or “free” voters expressed concern throughout the day about turnout, warning that lower participation could strengthen organized voting blocs and internal political deals.

Among those casting ballots were Netanyahu and his wife Sara, who voted at a designated polling station at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Netanyahu’s son Avner.

Former Finance Minister and Kulanu chairman Moshe Kahlon also arrived to vote in Haifa and received a warm welcome from activists. According to reports, figures close to Netanyahu have conveyed to Kahlon that the prime minister is interested in reserving a high position for him on the Likud slate, an offer Kahlon has not ruled out.

Final results and the completed Likud slate are expected to be released overnight and into Tuesday morning.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)