Arutz Sheva reports: Voter turnout in Israel was up significantly Tuesday morning in comparison with turnout levels at the same stage in previous elections.

As of 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, five hours after the first polling places opened, the Central Elections Committee reported that the turnout level had reached 26.8%, with 1,713,936 votes having been cast before noon. That represents a 2.0% increase over the turnout level by 12:00 p.m. in the April election, when 24.8% of eligible voters had cast ballots.

The turnout thus far Tuesday is close to the level reached by noon in the 2015 election (26.9%), and slightly above the level reached in 2013 (26.7%). By noon on election day in 2009, the turnout level had reached 23.4%, while in 2006 it hit 21.7%, 24% in 2003, 21.2% in 2001, and 28.9% in 1999.

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